Alliances
by KnifeInTheCrayonBox
Summary: With Berk's food supply destroyed by the Bewilderbeast, Hiccup makes a peace treaty with Kippernium. King Caradoc sends Jane and Gunther to Berk to negotiate the details. Jane doesn't expect to find dragons there, much less a companion in Hiccup. However, distrust still lingers, and not everyone is pleased with their new trading partners. As tensions mount, war may be inevitable.
1. Propositions

_Chapter One – Propositions_

For what felt like the millionth time that day, Hiccup's eyes strayed to the worn, leather-bound book sitting at the edge of the desk. His fingers twitched, yearning to open it and stare at the map. He wished he could just run out of the house, hop on Toothless, and fly until he dropped off the edge of the world. There was still so much left to discover, but instead he sat at his dad's old desk, poring over old documents to try and find a solution for the latest crisis on Berk.

Suddenly the door squeaked open and Hiccup turned to see Astrid walk in, a bright smile pulling at her lips. Seeing her kind blue eyes set him at ease.

"Do you need me to ride Toothless today?" she asked, walking up beside him.

"Yeah. I'm not going to finish this anytime soon." He nodded at the stack of papers before him. She gave him a sympathetic look, but nodded and turned to leave. "Astrid?"

She stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Do you…how do you think I've been doing so far…as chief?" Hiccup asked. He needed some sort of affirmation. Some sign that he was doing _something_ right.

Her warm smile made his spirits rise as she walked back over to him. "I think you've been doing the best you can, considering the circumstances."

Hiccup was unsure how to take that comment. "Meaning?"

"Well, there are food shortage problems, and a lot of the Vikings are homeless and have taken to sleeping in the Great Hall. Some people are complaining that things are different than when your dad was in charge, but after everything that's happened, I don't think things can ever go back to normal. Your dad never had to deal with a situation like this, and you're handling it the best way you can."

Hiccup let out a silent sigh. "I know I'm not my dad."

"No, you're not, but that doesn't mean you won't be a great chief." Astrid leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I know you'll figure out a solution. You're good at that."

With his spirits somewhat back, she left, closing the door behind her. As soon as she was gone he turned his attention back to the papers, and felt his vision swim as he stared at them. He'd watched his dad spend countless nights concentrating on paper work, while Hiccup drew up inventions and dreamed. Stoick made it look so easy, but it was harder than he could have ever imagined. Why didn't he try and pay more attention?

He couldn't make speeches as well as his dad, or plan things as smoothly as his dad, or run the village like his dad used to run it. But no matter what, he would keep trying to be the kind of chief his dad was—brave and selfless; someone who put his people first. Not only was it his duty, but he made a promise to himself as he watched his dad's pyre floating out on the water. He could only hope his dad was smiling down on him from Valhalla…but he doubted it. Not with all the things going wrong at the moment.

Rubbing his tired eyes, he tried to concentrate on the papers before him. The storage houses filled with food for the winter had been completely destroyed. All food grown on Berk was tough and tasteless—much like the Vikings themselves—but none of their food supply had been able to survive the Bewilderbeast attack a month ago. With winter only a few months away, Hiccup was desperate for a solution.

He leaned forward, elbows resting on the edge of the oaken desk and his face buried in his hands. At the sound of the door squeaking open he immediately sat up, thinking Astrid had returned. He didn't want her to see the toll all this had taken on him. However, he relaxed a bit when he saw it was his mother.

"What's troubling you, Hiccup?" she asked, walking over to him.

He forced a smile. "Nothing, just a little tired."

She stepped up beside him and gave him a knowing look. "I may have been gone for twenty years, but I'm still your mother, and a mother can always tell when something is bothering her son."

He turned his gaze back to the papers lying before him. "It's just that when the Bewilderbeast came he froze nearly everything."

His mother gave him a reassuring smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We can rebuild the houses."

"Yes, but we can't rebuild food, and there isn't enough time to plant new crops before winter comes."

Her smile slowly faded, a look of realization dawning on her face. Hiccup let his face fall into his hands once again. Years ago he'd made light of the situation when his dad complained that he had an entire village to feed during the winter, but now that he was in the same situation he saw just how stressful it had been for his dad. How could he ever compare?

"I haven't been chief for a month and I'm already failing my people," Hiccup moaned, raising his head.

"What about fish? Have you sent out more fishermen?" she asked.

"Yes, but after the day is done and everyone has eaten, there's barely any food left to store."

The fact that they now had an island full of dragons to feed didn't help matters, and since the Bewilderbeast was dead and Toothless was the new Alpha, all the dragons that had lived under the care of the Bewilderbeast for so many years had taken up residence on Berk. In previous years the storehouses always lasted all winter, but they had to start saving early. And every year when spring finally appeared, the storehouses were always empty. Vikings had almost as big an appetite as dragons, and now with the new mouths to feed, there simply wasn't enough food.

"Have you thought about rationing? Just until the stocks can be refilled?"

"I was just thinking about that earlier, but even if I did that, we wouldn't have enough food for the winter."

"What about the sheep?"

"I've put aside some sheep for food, but…we still need some sheep for the dragon races." When she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, he rushed to explain his decision, "I won't stop the races—the people need some hope."

Hiccup knew he should have set aside all the sheep for the winter, but he couldn't take that sport away from them. So many Vikings had their home destroyed in the attack—their livelihood blown to bits by ice. They needed some sense of normality—something to keep their spirits up. The dragon races provided that. For an hour or two, their worries could be forgotten. It was a small light—but a light nonetheless—to shine through the dark times.

"We'll think of something." Valka looked away, her gaze traveling to compartments on the wooden desk that had once belonged to Stoick. "Hiccup, have you gone through your father's old papers yet?"

"No. I meant to, but…" He gestured to the scattered papers before him.

"Years ago your father made a list of all the enemies of the Vikings," she said, gesturing for Hiccup to move aside. He stood up and let her sit down on the stool. She began shifting through the drawers, looking for the list. "If he still has that paper, perhaps we could find a former enemy willing to make a peace treaty with us. It would include trading, of course."

"But we don't have anything valuable to trade."

Hiccup knew most kingdoms had a currency, but Berk had always been all alone out in the ocean. Whatever they needed, they found on the island or did without. Occasionally Trader Johann would stop by their little speck of an island, but they would always trade goods instead of metal currency for things they wanted. There was no need for metal to be melted down for money when it was better used on weapons and inventions.

She finally pulled out a single sheet of paper with writing all over it, then turned to Hiccup with a smile. "We have our fearsome reputation. Any kingdom would be glad to have a clan of Vikings as their allies instead of their enemies. In return for trade, we could promise our full support if their kingdom is ever attacked."

The more Hiccup thought about it, the more he liked the idea. "Do you really think it could work?"

She gave a shrug and let out a small laugh. "We'll never know unless we try, and we don't have any better options."

Hiccup smiled and nodded in agreement. "All right, who's on the list?" He took a step forward and stood beside her, scanning over the names on the list. Next to each listed kingdom was the name of the most recent king or chief…if nothing had changed in the last twenty years, that is. "Hey, what about the Scots? This, um…" Hiccup followed the line to the name of their leader. "King Fergus. Do you think he would agree to a peace treaty?"

Valka frowned. "I doubt he would listen to us. Those Scots are brutal and can hold a grudge. When I was carried away twenty years ago the Vikings were still fighting the Scots, and they'll likely remember that. We have to find a kingdom that we haven't had any war with in years."

Hiccup's eyes scanned over the list. The paper didn't tell him which kingdoms the Viking clan had fought recently. He could still remember the wars that went on when he was younger, before they had stopped raiding to concentrate on their dragon problem.

"Ah, here's one," his mother announced, pointing to a kingdom near the end of the list. Hiccup leaned over and read it. Kippernium. Next to the kingdom was a name—King Caradoc. "We haven't fought with this kingdom in over forty years, and a Scandinavian noblewoman recently married their king, some twenty years ago." Hiccup knew what that meant. A lot of the Vikings were of Scandinavian descent. Even though a number of Viking clans had broken off from the country, they still remained on fairly friendly terms, meaning they left each other alone and didn't attack the other. "We've always been on friendly terms with the Scandinavians, so she might advise him to form an alliance with us."

"Great. Should I saddle up Toothless and pay them a visit?" Hiccup asked, already planning the trip. Valka immediately shook her head, laying a hand on Hiccup's arm.

"No, dragons are thought to be extinct in that area. We don't want to frighten them, and you can't deliver the message yourself. That's not how they do things in over there. First, we must send an envoy to deliver a message to the King, requesting a meeting with him to discuss the terms of our alliance. Then he will invite you to his Kingdom."

"All right." Hiccup agreed, trying to think of someone who would be able to complete the task. Someone he trusted. "I'll send the message with Astrid."

Valka shook her head again. "No, over there the women do not carry out important missions. Their place is seen as the home." Hiccup laughed at the idea. Any man foolish enough to tell a Viking woman her place was in the house might lose an arm. "To them it would be seen an insult if you sent a woman to deliver the message. It must be a man."

"How do you know so much about their customs?"

Valka smiled, a reminiscent look in her eyes. "I grew up in Norway, and my father was a merchant who traveled to distant lands to trade. One night when we were out at sea, the boat capsized and I washed up on the shores of Berk. Stoick was chief then, so he took me in. Of course, once your father and I fell in love we had to live in separate houses until the wedding."

"Was he always such a great chief?" Hiccup asked. As far back as he could remember, his dad was always the one with a plan—the one everyone looked up to. Hiccup was always considered a disappointment when compared to his father, and even though everyone looked up to him now—called him The Pride of Berk—fifteen years of being invisible was hard to forget.

"He was a lot like you—stubborn, but with a heart to serve his people." Hiccup smiled at this. "In fact, your father was the same age as you when he became chief. I didn't know him at the time, of course, but he often told me about his first few years as Chief."

Hiccup's eyes widened in surprise. His father didn't talk much about his first years as chief, or much about his past at all—being a man of few words—but he still found himself surprised that he shared more in common with his father than he thought. "You mean my grandfather made him chief when he was twenty?"

Valka's normally happy expression sobered. "Gunnar didn't pass on the title. He died during a dragon raid, and your father had to take over the role."

Hiccup wanted to know more. There was still so much about his father he was still finding out, and he could have sat there and listened to Valka talk about the past for hours, but she cleared her throat and smiled, seeming to remember the urgent matter at hand. "So, who shall we send?"

That proved more difficult. There weren't too many people Hiccup trusted with important matters. Astrid and his mother were among the few, and they were both women. _What would dad have done?_ Hiccup thought, and suddenly an idea came.

He turned and gave his mom a smile. "Who was the one person dad trusted the most?"

* * *

><p>Jane was making her usual patrol when she spotted something down in the woods out of the corner of her eye. She swung her head in the direction, orange hair whipping around her face. She pushed the curls back and leaned over slightly, peering down into the woods. Yes, there was definitely something down there. However, she didn't have a dragon's eyesight, and couldn't see exactly what it was. It was probably a deer or wild hog, but she always had to assume otherwise if she wanted to stay on the safe side. Before she could get a good look the dark object disappeared from her view—concealed by the dense cover of trees.<p>

"Dragon, can you see what's down there?" she asked, patting his neck. He turned his head to the side, slowing down.

"Yes, there's a short life riding a horse."

This struck Jane as odd. When she left for patrol nearly twenty minutes ago all the horses were in their stalls, and people from the castle rarely rode out this far. There was nothing but forests stretching for miles and miles.

"Is he from the Kingdom?"

Dragon let out a snort. "Well how should I know? Do I look like I know every single short life in the castle? Now if you asked me whether I know all the cows in the kingdom that would be a different story."

Jane chuckled and rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Of course, you big lizard."

"But I will admit he is dressed strange."

Jane rose an eyebrow at this. "Strange _how?_"

"He is wearing animal pelts and a helmet with long horns sticking out of it. He also has a wooden leg and an arm with a spiked metal ball on the end."

Jane frowned. Nobody would wear such strange clothing in Kippernium, and she knew of no one in the whole Kingdom who had had a wooden leg, much less an arm like the one Dragon had described. It must be a foreigner, then. The question was, was he friendly? He almost sounded dangerous, with an arm like that.

"Which direction is he headed, Dragon?"

"East, towards the castle." There was a brief pause. "Shall we go and roast him?" Dragon gave her a grin.

Jane frowned and shook her head, sending her curls flying. "No. We must go back and warn the others. He might be a threat to the castle."

Jane and Dragon hastened back to the castle. When they arrived Jane jumped off Dragon and ran up to Sir Theodore, who was polishing his sword in the training yard.

"Sir Theodore, while Dragon and I were out on patrol we noticed a strange man riding through the forest. We know he does not belong to this kingdom."

His gray eyes snapped up to meet hers, and he sheathed his sword. "Strange, you say? How so?"

"Dragon told me he was wearing fur and a helmet with horns. He also had a wooden leg and an arm with a spiked metal ball on the end."

"Horned helmet?" Sir Theodore repeated, a brief flicker of panic flashing in his eyes. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. Uneasiness bloomed in her stomach. She had been a squire to Sir Theodore for eight years, and there were few things that scared him. If Sir Theodore was fearful of this stranger, then God help them all.

"Alert Sir Gunther at once, and stand guard with him at the entrance," he ordered as he stood. His voice was tight—clipped. Jane noticed an impassive look crossed his face to hide his true emotions. Knights were trained to hide any signs of outward weakness. Emotions must not be carried into the arena or the battlefield—it clouded the judgment. If an enemy saw a fearful look upon a knight's face, it could be used to their advantage. "I will go and get Sir Ivon. Let no one pass until we have arrived."

"Who is the stranger, Sir?"

"If I am correct in my assumptions, it is a Viking."

Jane's eyes widened in alarm. She had heard many tales of the savagery of the Viking raiders. They attacked mercilessly and killed without reason. Anyone left still standing after a Viking attack was taken as prisoner and sold into slavery. Jane reached down to grip her sword—her one weapon against this dreaded enemy. He was only one man—but he might be a scout. Whatever reason he had for being here, it could not be good.

Sir Theodore started to walk away, but then stopped and turned back to face Jane. "Has this stranger seen Dragon?"

"No, Sir."

"Then tell Dragon to stay out of sight. Viking ancestors were the greatest dragons hunters to ever exist, and we want to try and resolve this peacefully, don't we, Jane?"

"Yes, Sir."

When Sir Theodore turned the corner and disappeared from her sight, she started towards the castle entrance. She had turned to walk away when Dragon swooped down and called her back. "And what should I do?"

"Just wait inside the castle. Do not let the stranger see you. I'll use the sword whistle if I need assistance," Jane replied, patting the hilt of the dragon sword tied around her waist. Her fingers brushed over the rune symbols before rushing to the castle entrance, where Gunther was serving sentry duty.

"What is it, Jane? Come to see how a real knight does his job?" he asked, looking down on her. Jane decided to ignore him this time, knowing there were more important things at hand.

"There is a stranger headed towards the castle. Sir Theodore has ordered that no one shall pass until he and Sir Ivon have arrived."

As soon as he heard this the mocking look on Gunther's face disappeared, and the smug grin he wore was replaced by a serious frown. He stood up straighter and faced the entrance, hand reaching down to grip the hilt of his sword. Jane stood tall at the other side. Finally, a man just as Dragon had described rode up. He was even stranger in person. Not only was he dressed different, but he had a long, straggly mustache and big, bushy eyebrows.

"Who goes there?" Sir Gunther called out, his grip tightening around his sword.

"My name is Gobber, and I have a message for your King," he said casually as he dismounted his horse.

"We cannot let you pass, sir," Jane replied. She gripped the hilt of her sword and was ready to draw it when Sir Theodore stepped into view, holding up a hand to stop Jane. Sir Ivon was right behind him. Both stepped in front of Jane and Gunther, as if to protect them.

"What is your business here?"

"I have a message for your King."

"And who has sent you?"

"Chief Hiccup of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe." Jane furrowed her eyebrows, trying to figure out why the name of that tribe sounded so familiar. She had heard of the Vikings, but the name of their tribe seemed to stand out in particular. Jane shook the thoughts away, making herself focus on the present. She looked to Sir Theodore and saw his jaw tighten—the only sign of emotion on his face. It was silent for a few moments, but finally Sir Theodore spoke.

"Very well. Leave all weapons with Sir Ivon here, then we will escort you into His Majesty's Throne Room. He will also take care of your horse."

Gobber pulled a dagger from his belt, then slipped a giant ax from the sheath slung across his back. After emptying his saddlebag of three other weapons, he took the reins of his horse and handed them both over to Sir Ivon. He gave them a big smile.

"Well, that's it."

"Please remove your weaponized arm, sir." Sir Theodore said, nodding towards the metal appendage. Gobber frowned, but reached down and unlatched the straps and clips keeping his hand in place. After he handed it over Sir Theodore nodded to both Jane and Gunther. Jane instantly jumped into action, taking the right side of the stranger, while Gunther flanked his left side. Sir Theodore led the party to the double doors of the Throne Room. A guard stood on duty, and Sir Theodore asked him to announce them.

A moment later the guard returned, giving them a nod. "The King will see you straight away."

The party of four walked in. Jane stood tight as a spring, ready to act if the situation called for it. Her hand rested on her sword, in case the stranger should try to harm the King. Gobber bowed when they stood before King Caradoc, and pulled a letter from his pocket.

"Your Majesty, I have a letter here from Chief Hi—" Gobber tried to step forward, the letter in his outstretched hand, but Sir Theodore's hand clamped down on his shoulder, stopping him.

"You are not to approach the King. I will hand over the letter," he said. Gobber handed him the letter, which Sir Theodore then gave to King Caradoc.

"Sort of a roundabout way of doing things, don't you think?" Gobber asked, a smile on his face. Everyone was silent as King Caradoc broke the wax seal and opened the letter. He read the contents, then smiled slightly as he turned his gaze back to Gobber.

"I must admit I am relieved you come on friendly terms, considering the past between our two kingdoms."

"Yes, but the past is in the past. We have a new Chief. His name is Hiccup."

"Yes, I read that in the letter." King Caradoc glanced down at the letter briefly. "When last our kingdoms met your leader was named Gunnar, correct?"

"Yes, he was Hiccup's grandfather." Jane recognized that name from somewhere, but as hard as she racked her brain for details, couldn't remember where she'd heard it.

"And Hiccup's father? What of him?" the King asked, drawing Jane's attention back to the current matter.

Gobber looked down at the ground, his expression becoming solemn. "He died in a terrible accident nearly a month ago. Hiccup took over the role, and is very eager to put the past behind him and move forward. He is a peacemaker, and wants to be on friendly terms with your kingdom."

Jane furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. A Viking on a peace mission? That seemed to go against everything she had heard about the savage raiders. What reason would they have to make peace with Kippernium?

The King leaned back in his chair. "I see. Tell me more about this Chief Hiccup."

"Well, he's smart and brave and noble—" Gobber began, but King Caradoc held up a hand.

"I do not imply you are being dishonest, but those are the pleasantries every subject uses to describe his King. Tell me more about the _real_ Hiccup. I want to know the man behind the title, so to speak."

Gobber was silent for a moment, then began to speak. "He's stubborn and boar headed—just like his father. He doesn't listen most of the time, and he can never stay put. Sometimes he acts without thinking. Now that I think about it, he does that a lot, actually. He's too trusting for his own good, and he always believes in the best of people to a fault. He's young and not very experienced in being Chief, but he has the best intentions of his people at heart. He would not hesitate to risk his own life for them, as he has displayed in the past."

The King smiled. "Thank you for your honesty, Sir."

"So, shall I tell Hiccup you have accepted the proposal? Of course, he would like to come here and hammer out the details—"

King Caradoc held up a hand, cutting him off. "I did not say that. I would first like to discuss this matter with my counsel. You will receive an answer in the morning." He motioned for a guard standing nearby to step forward. "In the meantime, my guard will escort you to a chamber for the night. Anything you need will be brought to you."

"Thank you very much, Your Highness."

As soon as Gobber disappeared the King turned to his two knights and one squire. "I will confer with you here again in one hour." With this, the three were dismissed.

Jane immediately went out to search for Jester. She needed to know why the name Hairy Hooligan Tribe sounded so familiar. Perhaps Jester would recognize it and give her some answers. She figured there had to be some history between Kippernium and the Viking tribe. There had only been two major wars against the kingdom, but there were a lot of enemies of the King. Jane found Jester sitting on a high wall, playing a new song for Dragon.

"Jane! You've got to hear this new song by Jingle Boy! It's hilarious!"

Jane smiled. "Maybe some other time."

Jester laid his lute aside, a smile blooming across his face when he saw her.

"I have something to tell you," Jester said at the same time that Jane said, "I have a question for you."

"You go first," Jester said, gesturing towards Jane.

She smiled and shook her head, her curls fanning around her face. "No, it's all right. You can go first."

Jester grabbed his lute and walked over to Jane. "Well, you see…" He paused for a minute to look over his shoulder. Dragon sat there, staring at the both of them. Finally, he let out a sigh and heaved himself into the air with a flap of his wings.

"All right, I can take a hint. I shall go and talk to the cows, they _like_ my company."

Jane chuckled. More like they _feared_ his company. She turned her gaze back to Jester to see a serious expression on his usually smiling face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no. Nothing at all. Everything is fine—great, even. I just…I'm not sure how to say it…"

"The Court Jester is at a loss for words? This must be very serious indeed," Jane teased, but for once the smile he gave her in response didn't quite reach his eyes. "All right, now you have me worried. What is it?"

Jester reached a hand up and scratched at the back of his neck, showing clear discomfort. "I know the most important thing to you right now is your Knighthood, but seeing as how you're less than a year away from becoming a proper Knight, well I figured now was as good a time as ever to tell you." Jester glanced up at her, as if making sure she was still paying attention. "You see, for quite a few years now, I've been—I _am_—in love with you, Jane."

Jane was surprised and not surprised, all at once. She supposed she should have expected this sooner or later. When she was young, and first began her knight's training, she had a crush on her best human friend. It was apparent to Jane that he had feelings for her as well. As time went on, she fancied she may even be in love. But then seasons changed and she grew out of her awkward teenage years so full of confusing changes, and her feeling dimmed down. She would always love and care for Jester—just not in the way he apparently loved her. Jane assumed Jester had outgrown his feelings for her as she had for him, but evidently she was wrong—and now stuck in an awkward situation.

"Jester…" Jane's voice came out barely above a whisper, unable to say much more.

What should she do? She loved Jester, but more like a brother than anything else, and she didn't want to hurt him. If she rejected him, would he cease to be her friend? Jane immediately shook her head. No, he had always been the one person who stuck beside her no matter what; she was silly to even let that thought pass through her mind…but it might change things between them. Jane raised her eyes to meet his steely gaze, eyes shining kindly. A hopeful expression was on his face, but it quickly fading into uncertainty. He was still waiting for an answer.

"I am…flattered, Jester. You mean a lot to me as well."

"Oh! I forgot the question part!" Jester explaining, slapping a hand against his forehead. "Jane, may I start courting you?"

* * *

><p><strong>A bit long for the first chapter, but I couldn't see cutting it any shorter, and honestly, this is all I have written so far. But I <em>do<em> have the whole plot planned out (from beginning to end) for this one, so that helps. Not sure when the next update will come, since I have a few stories going on at once, but there _will_ be updates for this one.**

**Hope you enjoyed the start of this story! :)**


	2. Setting Off

_Chapter Two – Setting Off_

For perhaps the first time in her life, Jane was speechless. How should she respond? She didn't want to tell Jester she didn't feel the same, but knew she couldn't lie to him about something so important. If she could just have a little time to think about how to tell him. All she needed was a way to break it to him gently—a way to turn him down without damaging their friendship.

"I need some time…to think about it," she said with a nod.

"Oh, of course. I don't need an answer right away," Jester rushed to assure her.

She smiled, affection for her best human friend stirring up within her. "You are such a great friend, Jester."

His smile didn't disappear, but Jane could see the light in his eyes dimmed down a bit at the word _friend_. "So, you had a question for me?"

"Oh, right." _Anything to get away from the awkward topic at hand_, Jane thought. "Have you ever heard of a group of Vikings called The Hairy Hooligan Tribe? I heard the name and thought it sounded familiar."

Jester furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. "Yes, it does. Why do you ask?"

"A Viking from that tribe just arrived. He had a message for the King. Apparently the new chief wants to make a peace treaty with Kippernium."

Jester cracked a smile. "A Viking on a peace mission? Now that would be a good joke."

"But this is serious, Jester. I know there is a history between our two kingdoms. I just don't know what it is."

He gave a shrug. "We could check the library."

"Good idea."

Jane made sure to keep track of the time as they searched through the books. There were thousands of them, but with no way of knowing where to begin, they had to guess. Neither knew exactly where to look for information, so they found little. She was about to forgo her search and wait outside the throne room for the meeting—Jane estimated she had about twenty minutes until it started—when her father walked through the doors.

"Oh, Jane, what are you doing in here?" he asked as he walked over to a stepping stool.

"Jester and I were looking for information. I am sure you have heard of the Viking visitor?"

"Indeed, I have," he said as he climbed up onto a stool to grab a book from one of the higher shelves. "The King has asked me to fetch him some books. What information are you looking for?"

"The visitor says he is from The Hairy Hooligan Tribe." At this her father's hand stalled and his arm rested midway between him and the book he was reaching for. "Does that name sound familiar to you?"

He turned around with a serious expression on his face. "What message did the Viking bring?"

"He says the new chief wants to make a peace treaty with our kingdom."

Jester smiled. "Funny, is it not?"

"This is no laughing matter." Her father said solemnly. "I have not heard that name uttered in a long time, but I remember it clearly. That is the kingdom which attacked Kippernium nearly a century ago and forced the royal family into hiding for forty years."

Jane's eyes widened at the revelation. No wonder it sounded so familiar. She heard about the Wilderness Years and the return of the royal family to power during her knight's training. Of course, there was little mention of the attacking kingdom, as no one liked to mention the name of the enemy, but she had heard it a few times.

"And now they come seeking peace? That does not make any sense," Jester said, bringing Jane out of her thoughts, and she had to agree.

"Let us be glad they come in peace this time," her father said before turning back to his task.

Jane turned to Jester, and saw the worried look on his face. She knew they were thinking the same thing: why were they seeking to make a peace treaty after all these years? Many years had passed since the Wilderness Years, but the wound was still there—raw and tender. Why risk trying to make peace with a kingdom they had attacked in the past? Unless they were hiding something. She knew the King must be thinking something similar, for he rarely called for a counsel to give him advice. He was a capable ruler and made wise decisions, but this was a complicated matter.

"Thank you for your help, Jester, but I must go now. The King has called for a counsel and the meeting will begin soon."

"Of course."

He gave her a smile, and Jane felt herself return it. Would it really be so bad for Jester to court her? She may not be in love with him, but she held a love for him that was unique. Many women her age entered into arranged marriages without even knowing their husband, and ended up with a lifelong partner they did not love—not even in the friendship sense. At least she and Jester were a good team, and held a strong bond of friendship. She could see them spending many happy years together, but could she enter into marriage when she could not give him her heart completely? Would it not be wrong to marry him when she could not love him the way he loved her? And she knew that's what it would quickly lead to if she accepted his proposal of courtship—marriage.

Before she could let her emotions get the better of her she turned and walked away, not stopping until she reached the hall outside the throne room. She found Gunther standing there, waiting as well. He looked up and met her gaze, but for once he did not have any sharp remarks or insults for her.

Soon Sir Theodore and Sir Ivon arrived and they walked over to the tables in front of the King's throne. King Caradoc sat at the head of the table, with Queen Gwendolyn to his left, and Prince Cuthbert on his right hand side. Jane sat down next to the Queen, with Gunther on her other side, and the two elder knights took seats across from them.

"I assume most of you in this room know the history between our kingdom and the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, but what about the younger generation?"

"I have taught my squires in their history lessons," Sir Theodore said, giving a nod towards Gunther and Jane.

"Very good."

"What history, father?" Cuthbert asked.

"Would one of you two younger ones like to tell him the story?" King Caradoc asked. Jane took one look at Gunther—whose eyes had grown wide and face had paled just the slightest shade—and knew he didn't know the story. It didn't surprise her all that much. Gunther excelled at combat, where he had to use his muscles, but when it came to books and reading, he was lost.

"The Hairy Hooligan Tribe was the kingdom that attacked Kippernium nearly a century ago. They were the ones who forced the royal family into hiding, which lasted for forty years."

"Well said, Jane," the King commended her, and she felt a sense of pride over the fact that she had impressed him. King Caradoc turned and gestured towards a tapestry hanging on the wall. It showed a picture of the castle, village, and fields all around it. Red and orange flames engulfed much of the castle and village, with black smoke billowed up into the clouds. Below, in the water of the port, was a Viking longship.

"My father had this made to mark the battle that ended the Wilderness Years for my family, and as a way to remember the victory over our enemies." He turned back to face his counsel. "Enemies that might soon become allies."

The King was silent for a moment, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table, fingers forming a steeple that tapped against his chin. "I have called this meeting to discuss the options. Of course I want peace, and an alliance could prove beneficial. The Vikings are known for their savagery and a treaty with them may ward off attacks from other kingdoms."

Jane hadn't thought about that, but now realized it. Their kingdom was prosperous, but small, which put them in a very precarious situation. There remained but only four knights in the kingdom. Many years before—when Jane was still young—Sir Theodore had been forced to release all of Kippernium's knights from service, since the royal treasury was in debt and the King did not have enough money to pay their retirement fees. After being released from their duty, they all left, with only Sir Theodore and Sir Ivon remaining because of their loyalty to the King. That event left them at risk, because in the event of an attack there would only the four knights, villagers with pitchforks, and a dragon to defend the castle—and the dragon was what kept most greedy kingdoms away…but only for the moment. How long before they overcame their fear and readied for battle? However, no one would dare attack if the Vikings were on their side.

"But it is because of their reputation that I am leery of their motives. Why, after so many years, do they choose to come to us offering peace? It may be that new chief is a peacekeeper, but I am not sure I can trust him." He drummed the tips of his fingers together, and then turned to Sir Theodore. "What is your advice?"

"Your Majesty, it has been my experience that when a kingdom proposes a peace treaty with another kingdom they have recently been to war with, there can only be two reasons: they are trying to create a false sense of security and trying to get information so they can plan an attack, or they are in desperate need of resources and they believe if they make an alliance, the other kingdom can provide them with that."

The King gave a nod, as if that was what he was thinking. "Yes, I quite agree. The only question is, which one is the right assumption?"

"I believe we should further investigate, but I must advise against inviting their chief to Kippernium, and I also strongly advise against you traveling to Berk to seek out the answer. The risks are too great in either case."

"What do you suggest then?"

"I suggest we send two of our own envoys to Berk, under the guise of discussing the details of the peace treaty, to assess the situation there. It would also be a good opportunity to make out the true character of this Chief Hiccup—see if the messenger is telling the truth."

"What is your opinion on the matter, Sir Ivon?" the King asked.

"I agree with Sir Theodore, Your Majesty."

"Good, then we are all in agreement," the King said, and for the first time since the meeting began, he gave a small smile. "We shall make preparations at once."

"Sir Ivon and I will begin packing at once, Your Majesty," Sir Theodore said, but the King held up a hand.

"I admire your eagerness, but I was referring to Sir Gunther and Squire Jane."

Sir Theodore's eyebrows lifted slightly. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, both Gunther and Jane are young and inexperienced in such matters. Jane has yet to achieve Knighthood and I believe sending someone who has experience in the field would be the best option."

"Normally I would agree, but this letter I received states that the new Chief is young—only twenty years old." King Caradoc pulled out the paper and slid it forward onto the table. "Sir Gunther is twenty-two, and Jane is the same age as the Chief. I believe the young man would be able to connect and reveal more of his true character to his peers, rather than to someone who he would consider an elder." He turned his eyes to Jane and Gunther. "I expect you to be packed and ready to leave early tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Gunther immediately piped up, and Jane echoed his statement.

"Now there is only the question of Dragon. I would feel better if he accompanied you, but I know the Viking ancestors were the fiercest and most skilled dragon slayers. They have special blades that are able to pierce dragon skin, am I correct?" The King turned his gaze to Sir Ivon.

"Yes, I have checked over the stranger's weapons and he has a blade much like squire Jane's."

"I do not want to risk Dragon's life, and I do not want to provoke an attack that I am sure would come if they found out we house a dragon within our castle walls, but I do not want my knight's to be defenseless against an attack from their tribe."

"May I suggest that Dragon follow at a distance, in case the need should arise?" Sir Theordore suggested. "Jane's sword can summon him."

"Yes, quite a good idea. And when you land, I want you to make sure Dragon stays far enough away that he will not be seen by the Viking tribe. If your report should be favorable and the treaty move forward, we will find a way to tell them about our…special resident," King Caradoc said, giving a wave of his hand. "Jane, you shall inform Dragon at once."

"Yes, your Majesty," she said obediently.

"And one last thing, I want you two to take note of any valuables this tribe may have to trade. This alliance may prove beneficial to our kingdom in more ways that just security." Jane and Gunther gave a nod. "Good. This meeting is dismissed."

With the last word he stood and offered a hand to his wife. King Caradoc motioned for his son to follow as they walked away, officially ending the meeting. The four remaining people sat in silence, while Jane tried to read Sir Theodore's expression. She could tell by the way his jaw clenched that he didn't agree with King Caradoc's plan to send her and Gunther, but he wouldn't dare question him. After all, he had sworn an oath to him and vowed to obey his commands, even ones he didn't quite understand.

"You have your orders," Sir Thoeodore finally said. He stood and turned to the two youngest members seated at the table. "You are to return to your quarters and begin packing immediately. Jane, after that you will inform Dragon of his orders."

"Yes, Sir," they both said, standing up. Jane went immediately back to her room and pulled out a large leather satchel from under her bed. She thought about what she would need while on the mission, and tried to include all the necessities. She would need heavier clothing, since the Vikings lived far up in the north, where it was bound to be cold. Once she had packed extra clothes she unbuckled the leather strap holding her sword around her waist. She ran a calloused thumb over the runes, thinking about what Sir Theodore had said.

If Vikings were once the greatest dragon hunters to ever live, they would recognize it as the sword of a dragon slayer. That might be useful in gaining their trust, and it would also be helpful in summoning Dragon if things went sour while on the mission…but what if the treaty went through? If an alliance was established and trading began between the two kingdoms the Vikings would find out about Dragon. Was King Caradoc right—could there be a way to break it to them as gently as possible? What would they do once they learned the King kept a large dragon in the castle, like he was some sort of pet? Would they try and slay Dragon?

Jane put the sword down on her bed. She couldn't question the king's orders, but she didn't like the idea of letting Dragon follow behind and staying hidden unless called for. Sure, the large lizard might think he was fully capable of handling any 'short life' but these Vikings were skilled dragon slayers, and who knows what they might be able to do to him if they found out about his presence?

"So, what did stump foot want?"

Jane nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice, but recognized it instantly. She spun around and placed both hands on her hips. "Haven't you heard it's rude to sneak up on people?"

"Well, _someone_ is certainly jumpy today," Dragon commented. "So what did he want?"

Jane let out a sigh and sat down on her bed, while Dragon poked his head through the window. "He was delivering a message from the Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe."

At that name Dragon let out a laugh. "_Hairy Hooligan_ Tribe? Ha, you short lives are hilarious with these names you come up with!"

"Dragon, this is serious business. The new chief wants to make an alliance with our kingdom, but the King is not sure about his motives, since that same tribe is the one who forced the royal family into the Wilderness Years nearly a century ago. So he is sending me and Gunther to find out what this is all about."

"Ah, so _that_ is why you are packing. Well, I'm ready to leave when you are."

"Dragon, you cannot fly me there. We need you to follow at a distance and make sure no one sees you. Once we reach Berk you must stay to the outskirts and only come if I summon you."

Dragon looked insulted by Jane's words. "Why?"

Jane had been wishing he wouldn't ask that, because she knew she could never lie to him. "The Vikings ancestors were known as the fiercest dragon slayers, and since dragons are thought to be extinct, who knows what seeing one might make them do. I just want you to stay safe."

"Oh, so you think I can't handle myself against a bunch of hairy little short lives? Is that how little you think of me? I'll have you know I could roast their entire village in a single breath…" Dragon raised a hand and tapped a large claw against his chin. "Provided it is not as big as this kingdom."

Jane laughed. "Of course, you big lizard, but since this alliance could ensure a lasting peace, we do not want to do anything that might provoke an attack. Do you understand?"

"No." Jane frowned at him. "But since it seems important to you, I will promise not to interfere…but just say the word, Jane, and I will rain fire down upon them."

Jane moved forward and gave him a hug. "Of course. Now please leave, I must finish my packing."

* * *

><p>The next morning Jane rose bright and early, grabbing her satchel and heading for the throne room. Sir Theodore, Sir Ivon, and Sir Gunther all stood there, with the latter holding a satchel of his own.<p>

A few minutes later they were all called into the Throne Room and stood in attendance as King Caradoc gave his reply to Gobber. "I am willing to make an alliance, but I would like to send two envoys to Berk instead of inviting your Chief here. Of course, once my two envoys have discussed the details of the treaty and brought back a document outlining it, I will invite the Chief here to further discuss the possible alliance." King Caradoc motioned for Sir Theodore to approach the throne and handed him a scroll bearing the wax seal of the King. "This letter is to be delivered to your Chief, and my two envoys are packed and ready to leave immediately."

Gobber looked slightly surprised, and even a little bit fearful at his words. "Your Majesty, I think it might be better if Hiccup had some time to prepare Berk to receive your envoys. Maybe a week or two? I mean, you should see Berk, there's ice everywhere and the houses are dusty…haven't even started on spring cleaning yet—"

King Caradoc held up a hand, silencing him. "I have stated my terms. You will escort my envoys to Berk."

Gobber let out a sigh. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

The horses were already saddled and brought out to the courtyard, with their saddlebags secured down. Smithy gave Jane an encouraging nod as he handed the reins to her. "Be careful, Jane."

She smiled back at him, placing a hand on his arm. "You know me, I always am."

Pepper was already waiting, and took a step forward to hug Jane. When she pulled away a few moments later, Jane gave a smile and nod to Pepper's two children, who stood beside their father, Rake.

"Good luck, Jane," Rake called out, and Jane gave a smile.

"Thank you, Rake."

Suddenly a blue flash caught her eyes, and she turned to see Jester running towards her, waving a hand. When he caught up to her, he was panting. "I wanted to make it before you left, to wish you good luck and a safe journey."

Jane stepped forward and gave him a hug, which he eagerly returned. "I will miss you while I'm gone," she whispered low enough for only him to hear. "And I promise I will think long and hard about your offer while I am away."

When she pulled away he gave a slight chuckle. "No, you won't. Your mind will be on the mission—right where it should be. There will be time for decisions later, after you have returned safe."

"Look at the gentle lady, come to wish her knight a safe journey," Gunther mocked them.

"At least I _have_ someone to come and wish me a safe journey," she rebuffed, and the grin immediately slid off his safe. He sneered at them before digging his heels into the horse's side, trotting off to wait by the gate for their little entourage to leave.

She turned back to Jester in time to see Lavinia rushing over to them, with her mother hurrying behind the fourteen-year-old princess, reminding her that ladies did _not_ run. Her skirts whipped around her ankles, and she came to a sudden stop in front of Jane, eyes shining with delight and excitement.

"Oh, Jane, father told me the news! I cannot wait until you get back so I can hear all about your adventures!" she gushed, clasping both hands together.

Jane smiled at the young princess fondly. "Yes, you shall hear of them as soon as I return."

Lavinia clapped at that. "Have fun, Jane!"

Jane laughed, thinking how funny it was that everyone should be so somber and serious about her departure, while the princess was practically bouncing with joy at the thought of adventure and excitement.

"Godspeed, Jane," her mother said calmly, but Jane could see the concern and worry in her eyes. She gave a nod to her mother.

"Thank you."

She turned and mounted her horse—the last one to set off for the gate, where the other two waited for her. With one last wave to her friends and family, she set off.

* * *

><p><strong>The next chapter will have the big reveal. I know this seems like a bunch of filler, but it was necessary to set up the plot, and hopefully not <em>too<em> boring. :)**

**All information and background about the Kingdom of Kippernium is taken from the Jane And The Dragon Timeline. If you want it for reference, you can find it by Googling "Jane And The Dragon Timeline", and clicking on the first link.**

**Thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed! Your encouragement means a lot, and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! :)**


	3. Misunderstandings

_Chapter Three – Misunderstandings_

Jane's back stung from sitting up straight for so long, while her bottom had gone numb a while ago. They had been traveling for a week now, and she worried that she just might fall asleep on the back of her horse and slip off.

She was by no means in bad shape, but their guide seemed to want to get back home as soon as possible. Food breaks were taken while the horses ate, and they only slept for six hours before they were forced to keep going (Jane had a sneaking suspicion this was only done for the horses benefit, though). Their guide was either very eager to return home, or he was trying to kill them through sleep deprivation and exhaustion. She could just imagine how the news would be delivered, _"I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, but your two envoys just collapsed on the way there. They dropped down dead."_

Jane grabbed the edges of her woolen cloak and hugged it closer, her cheeks slowly going numb from the cold air whipping around them. It never seemed like such a long distance on the back of Dragon, but then again, neither she nor Dragon had ever been so far up north as they were traveling now.

When she raised her eyes back to the horizon, and saw black smoke and the outline of houses in the distance, she nearly cried out in relief. They had finally reached a village, where they could buy some real food and sleep at an inn for the night. That is, if their guide had any mercy. He might just decide to stop for a short break and keep going. After all, it was only mid-afternoon. They had a few more hours of daylight left. She sulked back down in the saddle. The horse gave a whinny, and Jane reached forward to pat her neck comfortingly. She could feel the sweat matting on her fur, and knew they would _have_ to take a break soon.

"Don't worry, Cleaver. We'll be stopping soon," she whispered reassuringly.

When they reached the village Gobber pulled his horse to a stop and turned around to look at the two envoys. "We'll stop at an inn for the night and continue by boat in the morning. It'll be about two days of travel if we have good weather."

Jane could see Gunther cringe at that, but she felt too much relief that she would be able to sleep for a full night to lament over the two more days of journeying. Jane estimated they had traveled a little over four hundred miles since they left Kippernium.

"We will go find a stable to take care of our horses until we return from Berk," Jane told him. When he gave a nod she clicked her heels against the horse and set off for a stable she saw down the road. Gunther was right behind her, and as soon as they reached the stables he swung one foot over, slipping down from the saddle.

Jane heard a loud groan, and turned to see him walking a little funny, face twisted with pain. "My legs are going to be sore for a month," he complained.

"At least we'll have two days to rest on the boat," she said, stepping down from her saddle. Pain shot through her legs as she landed on the ground, even though she had done so gently. She grit her teeth and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, her thighs throbbing with every step she took.

"How can I help you?" a stable boy asked, walking out to greet them. Jane pushed away all traces of weakness showing on her face, and forced an indifferent look on it instead.

"We need two stables for our horses," she said, figuring Gobber could make his own arrangements. "We do not know how long we'll be away, but we want to keep them here until we return."

"I need an estimate on how long you are planning on being away," he said as he wiped his hands on his apron.

"About two weeks. A month at the most."

"Then we need a full two month's payment in advance. When you come back any money that is left over we will return. And if you have not returned in two months time, we keep the horse."

"Fair enough," Jane said, and turned towards Gunther. King Caradoc had given him the leather pouch containing the money, since he was a full-fledged knight and Jane was still a squire.

Once their horses were seen to, they walked down the street to an inn and purchased one room. To save money, Jane and Gunther always had to share a room while on missions. It was what all knights did while on missions, so despite Jane's gender, she followed by the rules. Not that she really minded in the first place. All she wanted was to be treated like her male counterparts. Besides, she and Gunther always kept their underclothes on for modesty reasons when undressing for bed.

That night they ate down at the tavern, where they met up again with Gobber. They sat at a table away from the other crowds of boisterous men.

"You'll like Hiccup," Gobber said as he took a big bite out of the chicken leg he had purchased. "He's a big people person, and he has a way with animals as well. People have even taken to saying he has the heart of a chief and the soul of a dragon."

Jane had only been vaguely listening—instead concentrating on the hot meal she currently had in front of her—but when she heard that word her head snapped up, eyes alert.

"A dragon?"

This struck her as odd. The Vikings were known dragon slayers, and she knew they saw the animals as demons and monsters rather than the big green lizard she had come to love so much. So why would a society that hated dragons to the point that they hunted them into extinction, compare their beloved Chief to a dragon? If what she assumed was correct, would that not be the same as calling him a demon or monster?

Gobber's face sobered and his eyes grew slightly wider, like he had said something he shouldn't have. "Uh, figuratively speaking, of course."

He gave a nervous chuckle, which only served to further Jane's suspicions. She had been apprehensive about the messenger when he tried to buy time for their chief to plan for their coming, but had originally cast it off as wanting to clean the village up and make it presentable for visitors. But this recent development only gave more proof to the thought that something was not quite right here.

"Your ancestors were the fiercest dragon slayers, correct?" Jane asked, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, yes. Many years ago."

She suddenly thought about Dragon. He had never traveled to Viking territory, knowing that since the Vikings lived there, the chances of finding another dragon were near impossible since they were probably hunted into extinction. So instead he invested many of his three hundred years into searching other regions where he believed dragons might live. So far he had found nothing, but maybe the Vikings had seen a dragon recently. If anything, it was worth a shot—for Dragon.

"How long has it been since a dragon was last spotted?" she asked as she took a bite of her meal.

"Oh, a long time."

"About how many years?" Jane prodded on.

She felt a slight nudge in her side, and cast her gaze to Gunther, who was shooting her daggers. She knew what he was thinking—she was being too obvious. If she kept questioning him about it, he might grow suspicious of her, and under no circumstances could they let on that they had a dragon with them, or the fact that he was following them. It would ruin the chances of an alliance before they had even begun the mission.

"I'd say fifty," Gobber answered before taking a swig of his beer. Fifty years—it was so recent! But not recent enough to think that there might be a dragon or two left up there. Still, she had to inquire for her friend's sake. He was so desperate to find others of his kind.

Jane lowered her gaze back to her plate and concentrated on her food, keeping the questions involving Gobber's comparison of the chief to a dragon to herself. Asking him about it might make him think she was interrogating him or accusing him, and if he was planning something or keeping information from them, the element of surprise was best kept on their side. She couldn't let him know that she had her suspicions.

When they finished their meal Gobber stumbled up to his room, while Jane and Gunther went to theirs. They undressed—keeping on most of their clothes for the sake of keeping warm—and walked to their respective beds. There were two straw mats encased in a canvas covering, with each one placed inside a wooden frame. A square cut out from the wall acted as a window, and let in a shaft of moonlight, giving some light to the darkness in their room. Jane walked over to the window, peering out at the forest stretching out behind the inn.

"Something does not feel right about all this," Jane said, wrapping her arms around her herself, trying to keep warm. She supposed it would be warmer under the blankets that currently covered her mattress, but she was wide awake. "I feel as if something is being kept from us."

"I _feel_ tired. Just give it a rest, Jane, and stop being so paranoid. You will need rest for tomorrow, unless you think you can manage on the six hours of sleep we have been getting lately." Gunther muttered, his voice already groggy with sleep. She could hear the shifting of sheets as he lay down and pulled the blankets up to his chin.

"Why would he compare his chief, who he speaks so highly of, to a dragon? They see them as monsters. It does not make any sense."

"Dragons are also strong and hot-tempered. Did he not mention the chief was boar-headed as well?"

When Jane thought about it, she saw that it made sense. They might see dragons as their enemies and as monsters, but surely they must see the good qualities as well. Strong? Yes. Hot-tempered? Yes. But something inside—her knightly instincts, she kept telling herself—told her otherwise.

"I just think that—"

"Good_night_, Jane," he said forcefully, and as she turned her gaze to him he rolled over onto his side, back facing her.

She let out a sigh. Gunther was overconfident and proud, while Jane liked a more careful approach. Yes, she supposed sleep would be the best option now, but the nagging suspicion that _something_ was wrong with this whole thing kept her mind spinning like a top—preventing any sleep.

Finally, she walked over to her mattress and lay down, pulling the covers over her. She could hear soft snoring sounds coming from the other side of the room—indicating her companion was already fast asleep. Closing her eyes, Jane tried to do the same. Lord knows she needed it. If her suspicions were correct, she would need her rest to remain alert and cautious when they arrived at Berk.

* * *

><p>Gobber laid awake in his room, waiting until late at night to slip out of the inn unnoticed. Then he hurried through the woods, praying to the gods that Grump might actually listen to him and behave for <em>once<em>. His prayers were answered when he finally made it to the site far outside the town limit and found Grump rolled over onto his side, his big tongue hanging out of his mouth. Suddenly his snout crinkled, and he must have smelled his master, because he opened two beady eyes and let out a noise of excitement when he saw Gobber standing there.

"Miss me, Grump?"

Gobber had flown to this village on the back of Grump, and had purchased a horse from the stables to ride to Kippernium. Hiccup wanted to make the alliance as soon as possible, seeing as how winter would be coming in a few months. But since dragons were thought to be legends around these parts, Hiccup instructed him to hide Grump someplace safe until he could return for him. It was supposed to shave four days off the time it would take to sail from Berk to this village, and then back again when Gobber returned (and that was assuming he had good sailing weather). Time was too precious to be wasted. They needed to ensure that they didn't starve when winter came. He walked over to the giant beast and scratched his chin, making his wings flap and his legs twitch in response.

"Okay, I've got an important job for you," he said as he moved down to his saddle. He pulled out the piece of parchment he had written on and tucked it into the saddlebag on Grump's back. The letter inside informed Hiccup of Gobber's return with the two envoys, so Hiccup would have the time to plan how he would explain the dragon situation on Berk to them. He knew if he showed up out of the blue with the two envoys, things might get ugly pretty quickly. After the paper was safely inside the bag, he tied a white piece of cloth to the outside of the leather pouch, so Hiccup would know to look inside.

"Fly back to Berk." Grump gave a groan of complaint, which prodded Gobber to give him a tap on the rump. "Don't make me put you up for adoption."

He finally rolled onto his legs, and with a final lick for Gobber, set off into the night, becoming only a small black speck among the star-studded sky.

The situation with the envoys certainly complicated things, since he had to now purchase a boat to take them to Berk. But at least he had the money he made from selling the horse, which should cover it. When Grump disappeared in the black inkiness of night, Gobber turned around and made his way back to the inn.

* * *

><p>Hiccup had been helping build a roof for a new home when he saw Grump flying towards Berk. He flew lazily, dipping down every so often before finally landing near the shore, rolling onto his back.<p>

Worry set in when he realized Gobber wasn't on him.

He quickly jumped down from the roof and raced over to Grump. The large beast sniffed at Hiccup before giving him a lick.

"Where is Gobber?" a worried voice asked, and he turned around to see his mother walking over to them.

"Just what I was wondering."

As Grump rolled back onto his feet he noticed a white cloth tied to the saddle bag. He unlatched the top and looked inside to see a rolled up piece of parchment. Unrolling it, he read the contents, and let out a sigh of relief.

"It's from Gobber. It says that the king wants to send two envoys here to discuss the details instead of inviting me to his kingdom. He says that if the details are satisfactory, he'll invite me there to make it official. It also says he'll be arriving with the envoys in two days." He ran a hand through his mess of brown hair.

"We should have gone with the Scots," he muttered to himself. This was taking longer than he thought, and now there was a new complication—two envoys coming to Berk. Two envoys who thought dragons were extinct at best, and at worst, mere legends!

"Oh, how are we going to explain the dragon situation to them? _'Uh, you know how you thought dragons were extinct? Yeah, well they're not. In fact, they're sort of like pets on Berk'_." Hiccup moaned, his hand tightening around the paper. "This is going to be a disaster."

"It doesn't have to be," Valka said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We can hide the dragons in the stables before they arrive. That way we can break it to them slowly and get them used to the dragons." She held out her hand. "Here, let me see the letter."

He handed the note over to his mother to read, and she scanned over it. Suddenly, her eyes widened in alarm. "Hiccup, look at the date."

He took it back and saw that the date Gobber had scribbled at the top was exactly three days ago. His head snapped up, green eyes widening in fear. "They'll be here any hour now! We have to hide the dragons!"

"I'll sound the alarm!" she said, running up the hill. Hiccup ran over to Toothless, jumping on his back before taking to the sky. Everyone down in Berk seemed to be going about their day as normal, enjoying a day where the sun was actually shining on Berk.

"Get their attention, bud," Hiccup told him. With a plasma blast rising up high in the sky, bursting into an fiery explosion, most people stopped what they were doing and looked up at their chief. Suddenly the horn sounded, and anyone who either didn't notice the fire or didn't bother to stop, suddenly stalled in their work.

"Listen up, everyone! Two envoys are coming here from a land where people believe dragons are extinct. I want all dragons grounded—either in their stables, or kept locked up in your home until further notice!" Hiccup announced.

At once everyone raced around, grabbing their dragons—either leading them to the newly built stables, or taking them home. With everyone working, he turned and looked out at the horizon, eyes widened even more when he saw the sail of a ship headed for Berk. He turned the gears of the tailfin and Toothless swooped down.

"Come on, bud. You're gonna have to lay low for a while, just until I figure out what to do," he said as he led him to the stables. Inside it was a madhouse, everyone racing about to try and find a stall for their dragon. "Once your dragon is inside a stall, secure the latch and make sure it's tight. If someone is having trouble getting their dragon under control, help them."

Hiccup jumped right into the mess and divided the people up into lines to wait and put their dragons in a stall. It took some time, but eventually the stalls were almost all filled and everyone emptied out, with a few remaining people who were last in line. As he was helping another man close a stubborn latch Astrid ran inside, calling up to him.

"Hiccup, they've just landed at the docks!"

"Are all the other dragons locked up and out of sight?" he asked.

"Yeah."

He and the man he was helping both gave a heave, and finally managed to lock the stall door. He looked around at the few stragglers who were wrestling with their dragons. Locking up a dragon was no easy task—especially the more stubborn ones.

"I'll be out there as soon as I can. I just need to help a few more people and then secure the stables. Stall them as long as you can."

She gave a nod and ran back outside. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. Gods help them all.

* * *

><p>By the time they made it to Berk, Jane was tired, sore, and cranky. The weather had not been good for the past three days. The wind had decided it did not want to blow for them, so she, Gunther, and Gobber had been forced to take up oars and row. Her arms felt like putty, but at least she could see the coast of Berk in the distance. So much for being alert and focused when they reached the island.<p>

One look at Gunther, and she could tell he was just as exhausted as she was. Sweat dripped down his face, and coated his forehead and cheeks. She was fairly certain hers did as well. Already she felt strands of sweat-soaked hair plastered to her face.

When they finally made it to the docks she almost wanted to cry from pure relief, but kept her emotions in check. A few Vikings were already waiting for them, and grabbed the boat head, pulling it closer before tying it to a wooden post. Gobber was the first out, and then he turned around, offering Jane a hand.

Normally she would turn away from such help—she knew it did nothing to help her prove that though she may be a woman, she was also a knight, and therefore, fully capable of taking care of herself—but she was too exhausted to protest, and gratefully accepted it. When she was on solid ground Gobber offered Gunther a hand, which made her feel better, knowing that she wasn't receiving special attention just because she was a woman.

They were led up to the top of the hill and stood in the middle of what she assumed was the town square. Curious villagers gathered around them. Jane looked around when a few moments passed and no one stepped forward to introduce himself as Chief Hiccup.

She knew he couldn't be too far away. After all, the island didn't look that big, and it's not like he could have gone to another village. They were at least two days journey from any other civilization. Then she remembered Gobber saying he could never stay put. Their arrival might be a surprise, but she still felt a bit irritated that the leader of his people wasn't there to greet them, while everyone else was.

Finally, a man with long black hair and five stripes of blue paint on his chin stepped forward. He gave a bow and waved his hand with a flourish. "Hello, and welcome to Berk."

Jane gave him a polite smile. "Hello. We are very pleased to meet you, Chief Hiccup."

He instantly raised an eyebrow, and then let out a short laugh. "Oh, no, I'm not Hiccup. He's, uh, a bit tangled up at the moment." He took a step forward, reaching a hand out. When Jane reached a hand out to give it a shake, he turned it over and placed a kiss on the top. "I'm Eret, son of Eret."

She noticed a girl with long blonde hair and a horned helmet giving her a dirty look at that. "Pleased to meet you."

"And you too, fair lady," Eret said. Then he turned to Gunther and held out a hand. Gunther took it and they shook. Any ideas Jane had about being treated equally dimmed a bit, but shook the simple gesture off. Maybe he was just trying to be polite.

Suddenly a man wearing leather attire of various colors came hurrying out of what Jane assumed was a stable. He latched the doors before jogging down to them. As he approached, she took in his appearance. All the Vikings she had seen so far were very broad and rugged looking, giving them a gruff sort of look. This one, however, was different. He had a small frame, with his appearance neat, and his face clean-shaven. His hair wasn't as long as most of the other men, but looked soft and just a bit bushy, sticking out in various spots. However, like Gobber, he seemed to be missing a leg. In its place was a metal one that looked more complicated than any other she had seen.

He wore a suit of leather armor unlike anything she had ever seen before as well. The battle armor of a knight from Kippernium was various plates of metal that covered most of the body. The man's suit seemed to be the same idea, only the metal was replaced with leather. A metal canister was fastened to his right leg, though, and this intrigued Jane. What could it be?

Then when he got close enough to make out the smaller details, she noticed a red badge on one of the straps that went across his chest. Jane could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the symbol on it, and squinted her eyes. No, she was not simply seeing things. The red emblem was definitely in the shape of a curled up dragon. She thought perhaps that might be why the people said he had the soul of a dragon, but did not have long to dwell on it before he reached them.

He gave them both a kind smile. "Hey, welcome to Berk. I'm Hiccup. Sorry I'm a little late, we didn't know you'd be arriving today, and we had a…uh…a little…situation at the stables I had to take care of."

"It is no problem. We are pleased to meet you, Chief Hiccup," Gunther said, remembering the manners he so sorely lacked back at Kippernium. "I am Sir Gunther. And this is Jane."

Gunther extended a hand, which Hiccup took and gave a firm shake, then did the same with Jane. Okay, so maybe she would be treated as an equal to Gunther while here. At least, if how their chief treated her was any indication.

Hiccup turned his eyes back to Gunther and gave a nod towards Jane. "And this must be your wife?"

Gunther burst out laughing, and surprise flashed across Hiccup's face, then embarrassment as he realized his mistake. "Jane? I wouldn't marry her if she were the last woman on earth!"

"I am a Knight," Jane said, easily brushing aside the assumption.

Hiccup's eyebrows rose, a smile playing across his face. "Oh, a female knight?"

Jane frowned. "Yes, I am a female and a knight."

_You are very perceptive,_ Jane wanted to snap, but she held in her comment. A good knight always kept his or her feelings under control. _Aggression clouds judgment_, Sir Theodore would say if he were here.

Hiccup must have seen in her expression that she was irritated, though, because he quickly tried to add, "Oh, I didn't mean to offend you. I just didn't think that—"

Jane had heard enough of his picking at her. She was exhausted, sleep-deprived, hungry, and she was _not_ feeling in the mood to put up with this. She held up a hand to stop him. "That a woman can become a knight? You would not be the first."

His green eyes widened, and he held up both hands, as if in surrender. "Whoa, there. Slow down. This is a big misunderstanding—" he tried to say, but she cut him off once again.

"There is no misunderstanding. I understand very clearly your attitude towards me and my gender."

At this a brief flash of hurt crossed his eyes, followed by regret. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could Gobber stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"I have a letter here for you, Hiccup." He pulled the sealed scroll out of his pocket and handed it over. Hiccup gave one last sad look at Jane before turning his attention to the letter. He broke the seal and quickly scanned over the writing.

"All right. Well, I can see we have a lot to discuss. But for now we'll have to see to your sleeping arrangements," he said, scratching the back of his head as he glanced around.

A woman who looked very much like Hiccup, and who Jane instantly assumed to be his mother, took a step forward. "What about the newly finished house at the edge of the town square? The cottage is spacious enough to house the two envoys."

He gave her a smile. "Great idea, mom." Then he gave a nod towards Jane and Gunther. "All right, if you could just follow me."

As he started to lead them away, a sudden commotion came from the stables. Both Hiccup and his mother looked up in alarm as a loud sound of something breaking came from inside, followed by a moment or two of silence. Then, a noise broke the silence—a noise that instantly reminded Jane very much of the sounds Dragon made.

Suddenly the doors to the stable burst open, and a large, black shape came bounding out, running down the hills towards them. Jane couldn't tell what it was, but knew enough to know that it definitely _was not_ a horse. Fear of the unknown sprung up in the pit of her stomach, but years of knight's training had taught her to keep her wits about her. She immediately jumped into action, her hand flying to her sword. The sound of metal against sheath could be heard as she drew it out a few inches.

Hiccup must have heard the sound, because he turned and held up both hands, stopping her. "No, don't draw your sword! He won't harm you!"

When the animal came closer Jane finally got a good look at him, and her jaw dropped. Her grip on her sword loosened before it finally dropped back down to her side. Big claws…black scales…giant leathery wings—it was a dragon!

"I do not believe it!" she exclaimed. The beast gave a final leap and stopped in front of Hiccup, eyes shining with delight. Jane stood frozen, wondering how it was possible. The Vikings were known dragon slayers—had been for decades—so how could they stand here like nothing was wrong?

Hiccup moved over to the dragon and ran a hand down its snout, making the creature lean into his touch. Then, it gave him a lick. It reminded her of the way she and Dragon acted around each other...well, minus the licking. Hiccup's eyes snapped over to Jane, a worried look on his face. He moved in front of the dragon, as if trying to protect him from her.

"I know you think dragons are extinct, but they are very much alive."

"You are Vikings—dragon slayers!" Jane exclaimed.

"Not anymore. Here on Berk we don't kill dragons, we ride them. We were trying to think of a way to tell you," he said, pleading with his voice, and silently with his eyes.

For a moment she was stunned into silence, but then a slow grin spread across her face, and she let out a laugh.

"I do not believe it! All this time we believed…" She let out another laugh and took a step towards the dragon.

"Hello, there," she said to the dragon, but he made no move to reply. Her eyes flickering over to Hiccup, thinking maybe he wouldn't speak to her unless he was given permission.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing towards the creature. Surprise crossed his face, probably at her easy manner around the dragon, since he assumed she thought they were extinct. But he gave a nod anyway. Oh, he was in for a surprise, she thought. Jane moved slowly towards the dragon, holding a hand out until she was close enough to touch him. He gave a sniff, and then pressed his snout against the palm of her hand. Jane was grinning from ear to ear as she scratched his head.

"You are just a big softie. And remind me an awful lot of someone very close to me," she chuckled. "It is nice to meet you. What is your name?"

"His name is Toothless," Hiccup replied for him, and she looked up to see him raising an eyebrow at her.

Jane glanced down at Toothless's mouth, seeing the row of sharp dragon teeth. "Interesting name…and to think all this time we believed…" her sentence trialed off, just like before.

Toothless still had yet to say two words to her. Maybe the dragons were used to being spoken for here, Jane though, or maybe this particular dragon was just shy. Apparently not all dragons were as talkative as her loveable green lizard.

"I know you thought dragons were extinct, but there are many here on Berk."

Jane's head snapped up from looking at the dragon. "There are _more?_"

He gave a smile. "Yes, hundreds."

At this Jane finally remembered Dragon did not yet know the good news. Dragon, who was probably a ways away—totally unaware that there were apparently _hundreds_ of his kind so close by. She had to tell him—had to show him that he wasn't alone. All that time spent searching when they were up here all along.

"Well, it turns out you were wrong about us too," Jane said, pulling away. "We do not believe dragons are extinct. In fact…"

She reached for her sword, fiddling with the pommel until it came loose. Pulling out the long cord, she swung it high above her head.

Hiccup furrowed his eyebrows when a low humming sound rang through the air. "What are you doing?"

She gave him a big grin. "You are not the only one with a dragon."

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so it was half of a reveal, but the other half with Dragon's reaction will be first thing next chapter. <strong>**Thanks to all who followed, favorited, and reviewed! Your support means a lot! :)**


	4. Expectations

_Chapter Four - Expectations_

There was only the sound of the device slicing through the air. Then, a commotion rose up from the stables. Roars and high-pitched squeals filled the air as she continued to swing the pommel high above her head. The other dragons must be in _that_ building, then. Excitement welled up inside her as she imagined Dragon's reaction.

It felt like far longer than it actually took until she saw his big green form flying towards them, a small spot over the horizon that steadily grew bigger. He was flying fast across the waters, and Jane suddenly realized he must think she was in trouble. After all, what other reason would she call him? She had specifically instructed him not to come unless she called on him, which would be in the event of an emergency. He must be so worried about her right now—wondering if he was going to make it in time. But surely he would forgive her for giving him a heart attack once he saw all the other dragons.

He didn't seem to notice, though. As he came closer he let out a roar, filling the sky above them with fire. With a giant swoop of his wings, he landed a few feet away and dug his claws into the dirt, skidding to a halt. He flicked his large green tail in front of Jane, as if to protect her.

"Hurt Jane and I shall turn you all into charcoal!" he roared, smoke coming from his nostrils.

Hiccup stumbled back, his eyes growing wide. Gasps of shock came from everyone standing around. Suddenly a commotion rose up from the crowd. There were so many shocked whispers and shouts that Jane couldn't distinguish what was being said. It was all one collective conversation.

"He can _talk?_" Hiccup asked, and Jane furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. What did he mean by that—of course Dragon could talk! With another snort of smoke from Dragon, Jane snapped back into the present. Dragon's large red eyes darted around the crowd, and he looked like he was seconds away from attacking someone.

"No, Dragon! Stop!" Jane cried, reaching forward to place a hand on his side. He turned his head around to face her, confusion in his eyes. "They have not threatened me."

"What? Then why have you called me here?" he asked, throwing his paws up in the air.

A grin spread across her face, and she gestured towards the black dragon that had curled himself protectively around Hiccup. "See for yourself."

He turned his head, eyes finally landing on Toothless. As their gazes locked Toothless growled at him, revealing a row of sharp teeth. For a minute there was silence. Jane took a few steps forward so she could see Dragon's reaction.

"Jane…Jane…" he said, pointing a claw at Toothless.

"Yes?"

"That is a dragon!" he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

She giggled. "Yes, it is."

"It is another dragon!" he shouted, giving a leap in the air. As he landed the ground shook, and a few Vikings tumbled over. Toothless's stance relaxed when he realized Dragon was no longer threatening Hiccup, and cocked his head curiously at him.

"Oh, you do not know how long I have been searching for others! Come here, you!" Dragon's paws shot forward and he grabbed Toothless, pulling him into a crushing hug. Toothless let out a sound of irritation as he was swung back and forth, legs dangling.

"How does your dragon talk?" Hiccup asked. Suddenly, his words finally registered, and she furrowed both eyebrows.

"Wait, do you mean to say that your dragons cannot talk?"

"I…well, I've never seen one talk." Hiccup turned to his mother. "Mom? Have you ever come across a dragon that could talk?"

"Never," she said, furrowed her eyebrows as she stared at Dragon. He was completely oblivious to their conversation; instead, he was spinning around in a circle, slinging Toothless back and forth. "How is this possible?"

"Dragon?" Jane called out, and when he didn't respond she repeated it a bit louder. "Dragon!" He finally turned to look at her.

"What?"

"Do you want more good news?" she asked with a grin.

"Nothing could be better than this, Jane. Nothing!" he said, still clutching Toothless like he was his lifeline. Jane could tell the smaller dragon was not very pleased with this.

"There are _hundreds_ of other dragons here," she said. Dragon suddenly froze, his eyes growing even wider. His grip seemed to slacken, because Toothless was able to squirm out of his arms. He let out a snort before running to hide behind Hiccup.

"You big baby," Hiccup teased. "He only wanted a hug."

"Where are the other dragons? I must meet them all!" he said, looking around wildly.

"Calm down, you big lizard," Jane laughed. "You will get your chance to meet them."

Dragon smiled and turned back to Toothless. "Oh, I almost forgot! My name is Dragon. What is your name?"

"His name is Toothless," Hiccup answered, and Dragon sent him a frown.

"I was asking him, not you, short life."

"Dragon, were you not listening?" Jane asked, taking a step forward to place a hand on his giant arm. The perplexed look he gave her was the answer she had expected. She let out a sigh. "The dragons here cannot talk. Apparently you are the only dragon that can talk."

"You mean…I cannot talk to them?" he asked, his face falling. There was a tense moment of silence, where his eyes flickered over to Toothless, and then back to Jane. "But…but I have been searching for other dragons for over three hundred years!"

Jane gave him a sad look. "I am sorry, Dragon."

"No, the dragons can talk! I know they can!" Dragon took a step forward, lowering his head to look at Toothless. "I know you can talk, you just have to try." There was a palpable silence, where no one spoke. "Come on, you can do it, just say one thing," Dragon practically pleaded. Jane had never seen him this…well, _desperate_ before. It broke her heart.

She took a step forward, wrapping her arms around her best friend. "Dragon, no."

His head dropped, and a moment later he walked away, pulling away from her embrace. He turned his back to her, large paws clenched into fists at his side. Then, he suddenly let out a roar, sending up a stream of fire straight above him. When he was done he bowed his head again, and Jane walked over to him. She gave him a pat, not knowing what else she could do to make him feel better. It must be rough for him, finally finding others of his kind, only to be unable to communicate with them.

"I am sorry."

"Why can't they talk?" he asked, gesturing towards Toothless.

"A better question would be, why can _you_ talk?" Hiccup's mother asked, taking a few steps toward Dragon. "May I?"

"And just who are you?" Dragon asked glumly, crossing his arms.

"Oh, sorry," Hiccup exclaimed, gently tapping a hand against his forehead. "This is my mother, Valka. She's the dragon master here on Berk."

She laughed. "Oh, you flatter me. But Hiccup here knows a lot as well."

"Ah, so you think you are dragon masters? I will be the judge of _that_," Dragon said. He dropped down on all fours and slunk forward, nostrils flaring as he tried to intimidate her. Jane felt a chuckle escape her lips when Valka only smiled in response.

She dropped down, crouching as she moved forward, until she was only a few feet away from him. Then her hand moved forward, palm facing Dragon. It finally stopped right beneath his chin and she gave a scratch. Dragon's eyes suddenly rolled up to his head and a content smile slipped across his face as he collapsed to the ground. A deep rumble came from his mouth, almost like he was purring.

Jane felt uneasy. "What did you do to him?"

"Oh, nothing bad. Almost all dragons have pleasure sensors in the same spot," she stated as she stood up, running a hand over his long neck and belly as she circled around him.

When she finally got back to his head Dragon seemed to have recovered. "Oh, Jane, you have _got_ to learn that trick."

She smiled. It might just do her good to learn that, especially when the large green lizard became irritated. All she would have to do is scratch him under the chin to calm him down. Valka lifted Dragon's large head with both hands.

"Now open your mouth," she said, and Dragon complied. Suddenly he let out a loud belch. Unlike the previous times he had done that to her fellow castle dwellers, Valka didn't stumble back holding her nose. It crinkled a little, but she laughed. "Well, he seems like every other dragon in nearly all respects…including dragon breath."

She pulled away and ran a hand down his snout. "I have always believed dragons could talk if they were taught, seeing as how their throats and tongues are similar to our own, but I have never seen such an example." She turned to look at Jane. "Has he always done that? Talked, I mean."

"Yes, though he has lived for over three hundred years, and I have only known him for eight of them, so I cannot say what he was like before that."

She gave a nod, a smile creeping across her face. "Of course." She gave Dragon another pat on the nose. "Have you lived alone all your life?"

He looked down, sadness creeping into his eyes. "Yes, ever since I can remember."

"You poor thing. Now you can be among your own kind," she whispered, rubbing his snout, and then turned to face Jane. "I can only guess that he never learned the language of the dragons because he was not taught. And living around humans must have forced him to learn their language instead. It's fascinating."

At the compliment, a grin slid across Dragon's face, and Jane was glad to see some of the happiness return.

"Hear that, Jane? I'm _fascinating_!" he said, flashing her a big smile. She gave a chuckle, and watched as he swung his head back to Hiccup. "Can I meet the other dragons now?"

"Um, sure, right this way," Hiccup said, leading them up the hill. "We had to put them in their stables when we saw your ship on the horizon. We never expected you to have a dragon of your own."

"Looks like both our expectations were wrong," Jane said.

When they got to the doors, they were already hanging open from when Toothless burst through them. The sight before Jane left her speechless. In each stall was a dragon—each one a different shape, size, and color. She had never dreamed there could be so much diversity among dragons.

Jane was nearly knocked over when Dragon pushed past her into the stables, nearly ripping open the door to the first stable he came to. He reached inside and pulled out a very large red dragon before crushing him against his chest in a hug. Suddenly the large dragon burst into flames. Jane let out a cry and took a step towards Dragon before she realized the flames weren't hurting him.

Dragon's eyes widened and he gazed down at the red dragon in amazement. "Oh, that is so cool—uh, or rather, hot!"

A fond smile crept across Jane's lips when saw she how happy Dragon was, even though he could not communicate with his kind. Despite the flames, Dragon hugged the other dragon even tighter.

"If you are done gawking at the dragons, might we see about the sleeping arrangements?" Gunther snapped, and Jane turned to fix him with a frown. Could he not be happy about someone else's good fortune for _once_ in his life? "I have been rowing for the past three days, and getting little to no sleep this whole journey!"

Although Jane did not approve of what he said, she could definitely agree with the sentiment. Now that all the excitement was wearing off she could feel the tiredness in her bones—right to her very core. Her arms hung limp by her sides, and she barely held on to the sword that she had summoned Dragon with.

"Oh, of course," Hiccup said, scratching at the back of his head. He glanced over at Dragon, who was currently throwing open stall doors and grabbing random dragons into hugs.

Valka chuckled, taking a step forward. "I'll stay here with Dragon, go show our guests to their house, they must be tired."

With a nod, Hiccup turned and led them down a pathway. They came upon a small cottage with fresh paint and a newly laid roof. "Here you are. Dinner is served in the Great Hall just up that hill," he said, pointing to a large building with a dome shaped roof. "If you need anything, feel free to ask."

"Thank you," Jane said, not trusting Gunther to speak after his last rude remark. With that Hiccup walked away, heading back towards the stables. As soon as she and Gunther were inside and the door was closed, Jane spun around to face him. "That was very rude, Gunther. I understand your tiredness, but you could be a little nicer."

"Oh, and I might say that same about you, Jane," he shot back, narrowing his grey eyes. "About how you snapped at their chief earlier. Is it right to ask someone from another land to so easily accept the idea that a woman can become a knight? Your comment is more damaging to our cause than anything _I_ have said." Spinning on his heels, he stormed towards a wooden door to their left.

"Gunther!" she called out after him, but he ignored her as usual. The only sound in response was the slamming of the door once he was inside. "Stupid biscuit weevil," she muttered under her breath.

Jane could feel sleep biting at the edges of her vision, and felt like she might drop down on the floor. Pushing aside Gunther's remark for the moment, she trudged over to the other bedroom and opened the freshly cut wooden door. She glanced over at the inviting bed, once again feeling tiredness wash over her like a current pulling her under.

As soon as her body hit the mattress, she fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Hiccup sat at his father's desk, slumped forward. He ran both hands down his face, feeling his problems multiply by the minute. It was supposed to be easy—send a letter, get invited to their kingdom, and seal the deal. Right? Well now they had to house two envoys, who were to stay there for two weeks, and then after all that was done, they had to send them back on their merry way—hopefully with a good report. Oh, and to top it all off, Hiccup was pretty sure Jane didn't like him one bit.<p>

Just thinking about their earlier encounter made him cringe. He hadn't meant to offend her—but being his usual self meant sticking his foot in his mouth at the worst possible time. It had come as a surprise to see Jane—a woman—in such a prestigious position as Knight, especially since his mother had told him that women weren't given important tasks—and that their natural place was seen as the house. Not that it would affect how she would be treated here—he had been happy to see other kingdoms were making progress! But then she had taken his surprise the wrong way, and now he was trying to figure out just how he was going to get a good report when she already disliked him. He wasn't sure what to make of her companion just yet, but he wasn't quite sure he liked the fact that Gunther reminded him of Snotlout—rude and obnoxious. Only time would tell. And then another surprise had come—the Kingdom had a dragon of their own…a _talking _dragon!

He knew it—they should have taken their chances with the Scots.

"Everything will be fine, son," he heard a soft voice say, and his head snapped around to see his mother standing by the door. She looked at him with such affection in her eyes—one hip leaning against the doorframe and hands crossed over her chest. "I remember your father sitting there many a nights—wondering how he would fix the problems that came with being a chief. You're a lot like him, though—you'll always come up with something."

Those words reminded him of what Astrid had said—_"__I know you'll figure out a solution. You're good at that."_

"Yeah, but socializing isn't exactly my specialty, and Jane already hates me."

His mother chuckled, pushing herself away from the doorframe and walking over to him. "Hate? I wouldn't say that. You should have seen the way she looked at you after Dragon came here. There was clear admiration, even if there was a bit of uncertainty. I think she would give you another chance if you would just explain yourself to her."

"I tried, but she wouldn't listen to me."

"Sometimes the best way to get someone to listen is to apologize beforehand, and then explain yourself—even when you've done nothing wrong." She gave a shrug. "It may not be the 'Viking way' of doing things, but it _can_ work wonders."

Hiccup smiled. "Well, I've never really been one to do things the Viking way."

When Valka reached him, she ran her fingers through his hair. "I know you didn't mean for it to sound like it did, but think about it from her perspective—she must be used to people bullying her for being a woman knight. If the mainland is in any way how I remember it, then she expects people to look down on her because she dared to be different."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Hiccup muttered, remembering how the others had bullied him—before he became 'The Hero of Berk'—because he was different. Instead of fighting, he schemed. Instead of sharpening his axe, he sharpened his pencil. Instead of practicing his swordplay, he kept working on his inventions. "The next time I see her I'll apologize…and hopefully I won't stick my foot in my mouth this time."

* * *

><p>Jane awoke to the sunlight shining in her eyes. She snuggled deeper into the mattress and buried her face in the pillow. It felt like she had been asleep for a long time, but when she opened her eyes she saw the sun hanging low in the sky, indicating it was late afternoon. She must have been asleep for a few hours, then. Sitting up, she let out a yawn and stretched. She felt well-rested. With any luck, they could begin discussing the possible alliance tonight.<p>

At the thought of their mission, Jane frowned. Gunther's words from earlier rang through her mind, while her memory replayed the brief conversation between her and Hiccup. Now that her mind was clear and fresh, she felt ashamed of her rudeness. For once, that bog weevil had been right. She had been tired and irritable, and had let it cloud her judgment and possibly damage their cause.

It was in her best interest to stay on the chief's good side. If she was to make out his true character, she would have to get closer to him. Now that she thought about it, he had not at all been unkind to her. He had only remarked he did not think a woman could become a knight…but was that so surprising? When Jane first told her friends and family about her dreams, many of them had laughed at her—the very same ones who now rooted for her. Only Jester had supported her. But if she had been able to change the mindset of her fellow castle dwellers, surely she could change the mind of one chief. Besides, she had been tasked with this very important mission by the king himself. Even if the chief did not come to accept Jane as a knight, she would still treat him with respect and kindness. She would not fail her king. Jane knew the proper course of action—she must apologize. Then she could suggest starting over and move on from there. With any luck, she and Hiccup might become friends. He seemed nice enough, despite his obvious views towards her being a knight.

She stood and walked out into the main room of their cabin. The door leading to Gunther's room was still closed, but that didn't entirely surprise her. He would probably sleep until the next morning, and she was more than willing to let him. Any time away from his company was sweet relief.

Jane walked outside and glancing around to see if Dragon had returned, but he was nowhere in sight. He must still be at the stables, then. At the absence of her best friend, she felt a frown pull at her lips. She was happy for him, she really was, but now the truth of it all was settling on her—would he want to stay here, now that he had found so many others of his kind? The thought of losing him caused her breath to stall in her throat. No, she must not think about it. Sure, Dragon had been happy to see fellow dragons, but it was too early to make such assumptions.

Jane stood outside and looked around, as if seeing the island for the first time. She supposed she was, since she had been both too tired and too excited about seeing dragons to really get a good look at the land when she first arrived. It was so different now—there were dragons flying all around, and people going about their business. Jane saw some dragon's hovering over half-built rooftops, lowering down lumber and even holding up supporting beams while the Vikings hammered the nails into place. Elsewhere, Viking villagers were sweeping up shards of ice along the ground. And there—against the face of a mountain—were more Viking's working on a stone statue.

Shaking her head, Jane returned to the present—remembering she had a mission to complete. Her green eyes once again scanned over the land, trying to guess which house might be the chief's—if he was even home, that is. He might be out flying on his dragon, or…well, doing whatever it was he did, but she figured it was a good place to start. As her eyes roamed over the bumpy, hill-covered landscape, she realized all the houses looked relatively the same. There were a lot of dragon carvings and symbols on all the houses, along with paintings. They seemed to dominate the island. Dragon had spent so many years alone, when there were dragons here all along.

_No, not alone. He had me,_ Jane told herself. Suddenly, she spotted the man from earlier walking down the trail. Quickening her pace, she caught up with him.

"Excuse me…" she called out, and he stopped and turned. "Eret, correct?"

"Yes." He stopped where he was and gave her a grin.

"Could you tell me where Chief Hiccup might be?"

He nodded, stroking his chin. "Last I saw he was at his house…" Turning, he pointed at a home situated near the top of the hill. "Right up there."

_There!_ Jane thought. Up high on the hilltop was a house slightly larger than the rest of them. She had to squint, but she could make out an ornately carved dragon head above the doorframe.

"Thank you very much, sir," she said before making her way up the hill. In no time at all, she reached the front door. Taking in a deep breath, she raised her hand and—

Suddenly the door swung open, and she nearly jumped back in surprise, but years of knight's training had taught her to keep her calm in stressful situations; however, it seemed Hiccup had not received such training. A hand flew to his chest and he stumbled back. He let out a sharp breath when he realized it was only her, and let his arm fall back to his side.

"Oh, hi, Lady…uh, I mean Knight Jane. How are you feeling? Do you like your cabin?" he asked, eyes moving all over the place and looking at everything but _her_. Jane immediately realized he looked guilty, which made her feel even _guiltier_ about her earlier words.

"Our accommodations are very nice. Thank you, Chief Hiccup," she began, but before she could say any more he gave a nod.

"Great. Um, well I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier." He unconsciously rubbed at the back of his neck—one of his nervous habits, Jane noted. "I didn't mean for it to come out like that. The thing is, my mom used to live on the mainland, and she told me that women there weren't exactly treated equally. Not that it's like that on Berk—I mean, my girlfriend Astrid is one of the fiercest Viking warriors I know, but I didn't expect…well, I didn't expect a female knight."

His words surprised her, and she felt both relief and shame bubble up inside her chest. "You mean, you are not at all opposed to the idea of a woman being a knight?"

He gave a quick shake of his head. "No, no way. The women on Berk are just as tough as the men…sometimes even tougher." Jane started to laugh, but then promptly stopped and covered her mouth when a couple snorts escaped her lips. Clearing her throat, she looked down at the ground. "What I said earlier was just me sticking my foot in my mouth."

"I have done that quite a few times as well," Jane assured him, still unable to look up and meet his gaze. All this time she had assumed the worst, and now she felt even more terrible about what she had said. "I came here to apologize for my rudeness earlier. It is no excuse, but I was tired and irritable, and I should not have been so quick to jump to conclusions. I would like it if we could start over."

She forced her eyes back up and saw to her relief that he was smiling at her. "Yeah, great idea."

As she felt all the anticipation and guilt leave her body, a new sensation took its place—hunger. Her stomach suddenly gave a rumble, and apparently it was loud enough for Hiccup to hear. With a grin, he nodded at the large building he had pointed out earlier.

"I was just heading to the Great Hall to get some dinner," he said, and nodded for her to follow as he led the way.

As soon as they entered the building she felt like she was home again. The same noisy clatter and indistinguishable conversation that floated from inside the castle, filled the air here. It was warm inside, and the smell of food swirled around. There were dozens of tables with wooden benches seated around them. Most of the Viking's from earlier today seemed to be gathered here for dinner. Hiccup led her over to a person who appeared to be the cook. He doled out exact portions of fish and them poured them both some soup in bowls. She took her food and then picked up a cup of mead before following Hiccup over to a table near the wall.

"I hope Dragon is enjoying himself. Did you see him at all after you left us? How is he doing?" Jane asked as she ate her fish.

"He seems happy. He took turns hugging each dragon. We had to put out a few fires when some of the more…uh, _reluctant_ dragons put up a fuss."

Jane cringed. "I am sorry. You have to understand that he has spent almost all of his three hundred years searching for other dragons. We had all but given up hope, and now suddenly, there are hundreds of dragons!"

"It seems strange to think that a land only a few hundred miles away doesn't have any dragons. Here, they've always been a part of our life. It was only recently that we tamed them, though. We spent so many years fighting them."

"That is why Dragon did not dare come here. He believed that any dragon's here must have been hunted into extinction, and did not want to risk his life where there was little hope." As Jane thought about all she had learned, a question appeared in her mind. "What exactly did you plan to do about our supposed disbelief in dragons? Surely you did not expect to hide them all for two weeks?"

"No, we were going to try and break it to you gently." He gave a shrug. "And if all else failed and you went running for the docks, I would have had Toothless snatch you up and take you on a ride to change your mind about dragons." Jane raised an eyebrow at his plan. "Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but it worked on Astrid. She hated dragons like everyone else on Berk until she saw how amazing they could be."

"So kidnap actually worked?"

Hiccup laughed. "Yes. It's not like I had many options at that point."

"Thankfully, you do not have to resort to such measures." Jane took a sip of her soup from the wooden spoon. "I do not suppose it would be much different from riding Dragon."

"Actually, it would be a lot different. Toothless is much smaller, and much faster, for one. In fact, he's the fastest dragon on Berk." Hiccup leaned in closer. "Just don't tell Astrid I said that, I like to let her believe Stormfly is the fastest dragon here."

Jane laughed at that. "Dragon is pretty fast too. What makes you think he is not as fast as your dragon?"

"Size, for one. Toothless is built for speed and accuracy. He's part of the Striker Class, while your dragon is…I'd say the Stoker Class, but I can't say for sure until I study him."

Jane blinked in surprise. "There are different classes of dragons?"

"Yeah, I can show you the Book of Dragons sometime if you want to learn more."

"Sure, I would love too." Jane tried to return her focus to the food in front of her, but all the talk about dragons had her head swirling with questions. Scooping up the last spoonful of soup, Jane drank it and then turned to face Hiccup. "So just how fast _is_ Toothless?"

Hiccup gave her a knowing smile, like he could read her mind. "Would you like to take a ride on him and find out?" He pushed his empty plate away and grabbed her hand, leading her out the door. "I was going to offer a tour of Berk anyway, and the best view is from up in the sky. We have a couple hours left before it gets dark."

"What? You mean right now?"

Hiccup gave a nod, and then let out a whistle. A moment later Toothless bounded up to them, and for the first time, Jane noticed a brown saddle strapped to his back. "Yeah. Come on."

He jumped up on Toothless's back and locked his metal foot into some sort of contraption connected to the saddle. Giving her an expectant look, he held out a hand, but Jane could only stare at it. She felt her hands go cold, but kept her expression neutral. Part of her wanted to ride Toothless, but another part whispered fears into her mind. She felt safe on the back of Dragon—they trusted each other with their life—but this was an unfamiliar dragon whom she did not know. The thought of riding him into the sky at neck-breaking speeds filled her with more nervousness than she cared to admit.

As if sensing her hesitation, Hiccup leaned in closer. "Trust me. We won't let anything happen to you."

As she glanced up into his green eyes, noting the sincerity and openness, she found her hand reaching out for his, as if against her will. His fingers wrapped around hers, and she swung herself up behind him onto Toothless.

* * *

><p><strong>And now we have it<strong>—**a complete reveal...and then some! :) The next chapter should have a small bit from Gunther's viewpoint, since he'll be important to the story as well. Thanks to everyone for all the follows, favorites, and reviews**—**i****t's great to know this story has an audience! **

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! :)**


	5. Feel Alive

_Chapter Five - Feel Alive_

Jane only got two words of warning—"Hold on."

Then, it felt like she was being flung through the air. Her stomach leapt up to her throat, and she had the sudden feeling she was going to die. Arms shot forward, and she grabbed at anything she could cling to. Her hands found something solid and she wrapped her arms around it, hanging on for dear life. Leaning her head forward, she felt something soft brush against her cheeks—something comforting—and buried her face in it. Somehow her eyes had squeezed themselves shut and all she felt was the wind whipping her hair around and trying to push her off Toothless.

She felt the motion—they were going up and up. Then, she felt Toothless right himself beneath her. After a moment or two, she finally realized that she was perfectly fine. The ride had evened out and they were cruising at a decent speed now. It was still a lot faster than she and Dragon normally flew, but it didn't scare her half to death. After a few moments she got used to the new speed and felt herself relax. Jane took a deep breath and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart.

Her white-knuckled grip loosened and she slowly unclenched her fisted hands. Then she carefully lifted her head. When she opened her eyes she saw, to her embarrassment, that she had buried her face in Hiccup's neck. So that was what had felt so soft—his hair. Her cheeks flushed and she was suddenly very glad for the cool air whipping around her—giving relief to her skin. Her arms slackened in their hold around his chest, and she looked all around. The view was amazing from up here. From their boat the island of Berk had looked so small, but from up here she could see just how big it really was.

Suddenly Hiccup lifted a hand and pointed down at an arena-style building that was situated near the coastline. "That right there is the Dragon Training Academy, where we train new riders and new dragons." Then he gestured to a large stadium nearby. "And that's where we hold the Dragon Races each week."

"There are races?" Jane asked, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. "You must win every one with Toothless."

Hiccup turned slightly and gave her a grin. "Thanks, but it's more than just a race. You have to collect sheep while doing laps around Berk, and then bring them back to the starting line and drop them in your basket—that's how you earn points."

As Jane peered closer she saw a long wooden beam with various different holes cut out from it—each painted a different color. Inside the holes she could make out the netting of a basket underneath.

"Can anyone play?" Jane asked, already imaging how fun it must be.

Back home Dragon was left out of a lot of games Jane liked to play with her friends. There weren't many games he _could_ play with the humans simply because of his size and strength. Parchment, Sword, Rock, and Dung Wars were two of the few options—and very rarely was Dragon able to find someone who would play the latter with him—so Jane was excited to hear about a game that was made specifically for dragons _and_ humans. She couldn't wait to tell him about it.

"Yeah, but you and Dragon might want to train before you enter. The competition is tough."

Jane lifted her chin. "You underestimate Dragon and me—we are a great team."

"Suit yourself," he said with a shrug.

Jane watched with fascination as Hiccup continued his tour of Berk, pointing out various buildings and even telling a few funny stories about things that happened on the island. After they had flown around the village he took Toothless out further, showing her the forests, pointing out interesting spots, and telling her about all the different dragons that inhabited them.

"And right there is the cove where I first tamed Toothless," Hiccup explained, pointing to a large sunken in portion of the forest where there were trees, various vegetation scattered around, and a pond in the middle. "He got trapped in here after I shot him down, so I came here nearly every day to see him and slowly gained his trust."

Jane furrowed her eyebrows at his words. "_Shot him down"_? She could see from the way Hiccup and Toothless acted around each other that they were the best of friends, so how had he gone from someone who was willing to shoot down a dragon, to the best friend of one? And why would he shoot the dragon down in the first place? He said that Vikings no longer hunted dragons.

Then something occurred to Jane—her kingdom had once been enemies with Dragon. She first met him when she had gone to slay him and rescue the prince—but they had ended up becoming friends when she learned there was more to him than what met the eye. Perhaps it had been a similar experience with Toothless and Hiccup. Jane was intrigued by the possibility and wanted to know more, but before she could ask they were flying further into the forest.

Berk was bigger than she had realized; the village may have been a lot smaller than the one in Kippernium, but Berk was miles of forests, hills, and even tinier islands surrounding the coast. Below she could see the trees and meadows buzzing with activity. Dragons flew about—as numerous here as birds were in _her_ kingdom. They finally came to a stop when he reached the end of the forest.

"All right, now time for the fun part."

"What do you mean?" Jane asked as uneasiness bloomed in her stomach.

Hiccup turned around and gave her a big grin as Toothless flew out over the ocean, heading for what looked like open sea. "I told you Toothless was the fastest dragon on Berk, now we're going to show you."

"But…I thought before was a display of his speed."

"That's nothing compared to how fast he _can_ go," Hiccup said, his grin widening even more. He turned around and gave Toothless a pat. "Come on, bud. Let's show her what we've got."

Jane had room for only one thought: what had she gotten herself into?

Suddenly, Toothless tilted up and they were ascending—higher and higher. Jane wasn't scared of heights; she was used to looking down from Dragon's back and seeing how small everything was from up in the clouds. But this…oh, riding Dragon seemed like nothing compared to how high they were now. Toothless just kept climbing higher than Jane had ever been before. Every time she thought he might stop, he kept going. They broke through clouds and with each beat of his wings Jane watched the world below grow smaller and smaller. Never before had she wondered what would happen if someone just kept flying upward, but now that question was at the forefront of her mind. Would it be a never-ending expanse of sky—was it possible to reach the stars and planets that seemed so far away?

Suddenly Toothless evened out, and for a moment Jane wondered what would happen next. Why had he brought her all the way up here? When Toothless tucked his wings in and angled his body down, Jane suddenly realized what he was going to do.

Then, they were diving back down towards the earth.

Her breath left her lungs and she felt like rocks had been placed in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't hear anything but the roaring of wind all around her and the erratic beating of her own heart. But the feeling it gave her…she couldn't even describe it—it was like nothing she had ever experienced before. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. Jane couldn't decide which she wanted to do more—let out a cheer of joy, or let out a scream of terror. Every inch of her body felt electrified—like she was on fire, and she was amazed to find how much she instantly loved that feeling. For a few seconds of her life it felt like it was just her, Hiccup, Toothless, and the wind—nothing else existed. There were no worries, no cares. She had never felt this free before—not even on the back of Dragon.

Then, she looked down and fear won out. They were in a straight nose-dive towards the water—and Toothless wasn't turning up. He just kept speeding down. Her arms tightened around Hiccup's chest—clinging to him for all she was worth—and she buried her face in his shoulder, well past the point of caring. Suddenly there was a jolt that made her stomach jump up to her throat, and then…they were floating? What had happened?

"Jane, look up," Hiccup said. It took all her willpower, but she finally lifted her head and cracked her eyes open. What she saw took her breath away.

They were flying fast, with the ocean mere inches beneath them. The water looked like shimmering crystal, and behind them it shot up in a brilliant display, creating all sorts of colorful rainbows in the air. The wind whipped her hair out behind her and stung her cheeks, but she felt _alive_.

Hiccup raised his arms and spread them out like an eagle flying, letting out a loud whoop. Jane let out a laugh as she tilted her head back and let the wind slap against her skin. Taking Hiccup's lead, she slowly released her grip on him and spread her arms wide—marveling at the feeling. She had never known flying could be like _this_. It was so familiar, and yet so exciting and new in its own way.

"So, what do you think?" Hiccup asked, lowering his arm and turning in the saddle to face her. There was an accomplished sort of look on his face—like he had been so confident in his ability to impress her. Oh, how fun it would be to tease him.

"I will admit that was fun, but is that _all_ he can do?"

His grin faded and a slightly shocked look passed his face. Jane was afraid she might have offended him, until a grin slowly spread across his face.

"I have a feeling you and I are going to be good friends, Jane." He moved his foot and Toothless suddenly swooped up. "Better hold on tight."

With a large but graceful flap of his wings, Toothless suddenly swooped upside down. Jane nearly had a heart attack at the sudden loop. She had a momentary flashback of falling thousands of feet from the back of Dragon, but at the feeling of the solid form in front of her, she felt a sense of safety and security that had been lacking before. When Toothless repeated the motion, she found she couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up from her throat.

Toothless glanced back at her with large green eyes, and almost seemed to _grin_. Then, they were climbing through the sky again. Was he going to do another dive? Her heart beat faster and faster as they ascended, waiting for the inevitable fall that had left her breathless before. Suddenly, he started spinning, nearly giving Jane a heart attack _again_ at the unexpected feeling. The world spiraled and spun around her with only the feeling of Hiccup in front of her and Toothless beneath her to keep her senses grounded. Suddenly, they slowed.

Tensing herself from the inevitable free-fall, she was surprised to find him turn belly-up towards the sky and let gravity drag them down. She was upside down, and they were falling.

Oh, God help her.

Still, it gave her that same rush from before, and it didn't last long before the dragon righted himself, sailing on a current of air. They were still high up in the sky, gliding above the gently rippling ocean waters.

Jane laughed. "Okay, okay, I am _officially_ impressed."

"You want to see something really impressive?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at her. With one fluid motion he moved his metal leg forward, and Jane heard the distinct flap of cloth behind her. She turned in the saddle and glanced back to see Toothless' red tailfin stretched out taut. As she turned around she saw Hiccup lean over and pulled up another lever attached to the saddle's rigging. Reaching forward, he unclipped the harness keeping him tethered to Toothless.

She was about to respond when she suddenly noticed how dark the sky had turned. The sun had sunk into the horizon, lighting up the sky in beautiful streaks of red and gold—but there were dark clouds scattered all around. Occasional flashes of light inside the clouds told her that a storm was coming—and coming fast. Just how long had they been out here? Surely not _that_ long.

"It is getting dark out," she stated. He glanced up and suddenly seemed to notice it.

"You're right," he said as he reattached the harness. He sounded disappointed, and for a moment Jane wondered what it was he had been about to show her. Shaking her head, she put it out of her mind and focused on what was happening right now. Surely she would find out later. Hiccup pushed the lever back down and moved his leg back, and Jane heard the sound of the tailfin flapping again. "Looks like a storm is brewing, we'd better get back to Berk."

Jane wrapped her arms securely around his chest as Toothless swooped to the side and turned around—heading back towards the island. It seemed like only ten seconds later that the thunder started. It boomed all around them, making Jane start at the loud sound. Then she saw a few jagged streaks of lightning that seemed to light up the twilight sky with the brilliance of daytime. One of them struck so close that Toothless had to duck to the left, nearly knocking Jane off had it not been for her tight hold on Hiccup.

A moment later rain came pouring down, as if it had been contained in a sack that had just burst. Jane let out a small cry as the freezing water pelted her skin. Perhaps she should have dressed warmer, but there was no time for that now.

"We have to take shelter," Hiccup called out over the rain. "Toothless can't be out while there's lightning. The metal in his tailfin attracts it."

This was strange information to Jane—how was lightning attracted to something like metal?—but she had seen herself how the bolt almost hit them, so she decided not to question it. It was a bad idea to fly during a storm, anyway. It was hard to see and the wind could cause them crash—she had learned that first hand with Dragon.

"I know a place just west of here," he told her as they swooped to the left. The wind buffeted them around, making Toothless shake beneath her. Then she saw it—up ahead was a small island jutting up from the ground. Toothless landed a few feet from the rocky ledge, and Jane could make out a small hill that made up most of the island. To her right was a rocky cliff face, and next to it was a grassy hill. All down the slope were overturned trees and even plowed up dirt. It almost looked like something big had crash landed and tumbled down the gentle slope.

"Over there!" Hiccup called out, jolting Jane from her observations.

She followed Hiccup's pointing finger to the rock wall. Through the curtain of rain, Jane made out the opening to a small cave. She jumped off Toothless, and Hiccup was right behind her, both of them running for the opening. It was a narrow fit, but they were able to squeeze through, and Hiccup even managed to pull Toothless inside behind them. Inside the cave it was pitch dark, and Jane was suddenly glad she had gotten over her fear of the dark all those years ago.

"You have been here before?" Jane asked. She had barely been able to see the entrance to the cave when they had landed, so he must have been here previously. There was no other explanation.

"Toothless and I discovered this place about a month ago, when we sort of crash landed here."

Suddenly a long stream of fire appeared. At first Jane assumed it was Toothless, but then her eyes adjusted to the bright light and she gasped in amazement. In Hiccup's hand was what appeared to be a sword, but the blade was on fire. He didn't seem to notice her amazed expression, though, as he walked deeper into the cave—holding out his sword like a torch to light the way. After only a few feet he came to a stone wall, and finally turned to see the expression on Jane's face.

"How does your sword do that?" she asked, walking closer. He gave her a grin.

"I'll explain how it works, but first let's build a fire," he said, and moved the sword to shine some light on spare twigs and branches lying around the cave floor. She bent down and gathered an armful before depositing them in a pile near the middle of the cave, then Hiccup set fire to them with his flaming sword. From there they gathered more twigs until they had a roaring fire going.

Toothless curled up against the wall and placed his head near the warm fire, letting out a sound that reminded Jane of a cat purring. Hiccup walked over and sat down beside him, rubbing his snout. Jane took a seat next to Hiccup and began wringing out her wet hair. Raising a hand, Hiccup pushed the wet hair away from his eyes and gave her a smile.

"The blade of my sword is coated in Monstrous Nightmare saliva—" Hiccup began.

"Monstrous Nightmare?" Jane interrupted, furrowing her eyebrows at the unfamiliar term.

"It's a dragon that's able to light itself on fire."

"Oh—like the one that Dragon hugged in the stables!" Jane exclaimed.

"Yes. So, when the blade is retracted, it coats itself in Monstrous Nightmare saliva." Hiccup held up the flaming sword—which had now been retracted and looked like an ordinary metal canister. "You release the blade by pressing this button." Hiccup scooted closer and placed the hilt in Jane's grasp, putting his own hands over hers and guiding her finger to the button. As soon as she pressed the button the blade sprung out with a small metallic _click_. "And then the fire's lit by pressing this button."

He moved her finger over to another button. When Jane pressed it, the blade ignited into flames. "And that's just this end. The other end sprays Hideous Zippleback gas with this button." He pushed a button to retract the blade, and then turned the canister around. Jane pressed the button Hiccup guided her fingers to, and it sprayed out a green gas in front of them. "All it takes is one press of this button and…" With the press of another button the gas ignited and exploded into a fiery display that left Jane wide-eyed.

"Wow," Jane said, and then looked down at the sword that still hung from the leather belt around her waist. Running a finger over the dragon runes, she thought about how ordinary it seemed compared to Hiccup's sword. "And I thought _my_ sword was one-of-a-kind."

"Hey, that's still a _really_ nice Dragon Blade," he said, as he pulled away and attached his sword to a leather binding on his leg. Then he leaned over to take a closer look at her sword. "We have swords similar to it, but none of them can summon dragons like yours."

"We found it out quite by accident," Jane said, remembering the stormy day they discovered the secret of the sword. She tied the sword securely back to her belt, then turned to face Hiccup, who was holding his hands out towards the fire. "Why did you shoot him down?"

He raised an eyebrow, green eyes flickering over to meet hers. "What?"

"Earlier you said you shot Toothless down. Why did you do it?"

She knew she must have struck a nerve by the way he drew in a sharp breath, his eyes flickering away. "Back then Berk was different. We didn't tame dragons, we killed them, and all I wanted was to be like the other Vikings. I shot Toothless down to prove to the others that I was one of them, but nobody believed me. So I tracked Toothless down and had every intention to kill him, but when the time came…I just couldn't. When I looked at him, I saw myself—frightened and alone. I cut him loose, so he spared my life that day." Hiccup looked at Toothless with unmasked affection, a smile on his lips before a frown tugged at them. "But when I shot him down, his tailfin got damaged and he couldn't fly. I slowly gained his trust and built him a new tailfin so he could fly—but it only works if I'm in the saddle to operate it." He let out a sudden laugh, tapping a hand against his metal leg. "But hey, he got me back with this leg, so we're even."

Jane was sure her face paled a shade in that moment. "He _bit_ your leg off?"

"Oh, no! No, not that," he quickly assured her, letting out a nervous chuckle. "There was a big battle with the Red Death—this big alpha dragon that was controlling all the other dragons. Toothless and I managed to take it down together, but during the battle Toothless' tailfin caught on fire and we weren't able to fly anymore. I fell into the flames, and would have died, but Toothless here saved me…but you couldn't save _all_ of me, could you, bud?" He gave the dragon a playful nudge. Jane smiled at the both of them before Hiccup turned his gaze back to her. "After that I became 'The Hero of Berk'…" The smile on his face slowly faded, and Jane could see in his eyes that his mind had drifted away. "But sometimes I wonder what…"

"Yes?" Jane prodded after a few moments of silence.

His green eyes snapped out of whatever haze he had been in, and he shook his head. "Nothing, it's stupid. So, what about you? How did you meet Dragon?" Hiccup asked before Jane could ask any more questions. "How did you become a female knight?"

At the question she turned her eyes to the fire, more content to stare at the dancing flames than Hiccup's inviting and curious expression. There weren't many strangers that came to Kippernium, and when one did they certainly never asked Jane for her life story. At the thought of telling Hiccup, she felt a sense of vulnerability. If there was one thing Jane hated, it was feeling vulnerable and defenseless—no matter the circumstances…and yet, she knew she had to gain Hiccup's trust and get closer to him in order to accomplish her mission. Maybe it was a little give-and-take. He told her his story, now she had to tell him hers. It would establish trust between them, and that was the one thing she needed to get close to him.

She took a deep breath. "Before I met Dragon I was a lady-in-waiting—stuck in waiting it seemed! I wanted to be a Knight, but everyone laughed when I told them. Well…everyone except Jester." At the thought of her best human friend, she felt a smile pull at her lips. "He was the one person who believed in me, and even gave me my very own suit of armor. And then one day while Sir Theodore, Sir Ivon, and Gunther were all away at a jousting carnival, Dragon came and kidnapped the prince. There was no one else to save him, so I decided that it was my chance to prove myself! I rode up the mountain with—like you—every intention to slay Dragon. Twice I could have killed Dragon, but I did not, and twice he could have killed me, but he did not. When we were too tired to continue fighting, we began to talk. I found out that Dragon was not vicious or mean, and that he only wanted to be loved—the big softie," Jane said with a chuckle. "Dragon let me save the prince, and in return the King granted my request to become a Knight apprentice. Dragon and I have been best friends ever since."

When she looked back up to meet Hiccup's gaze, he was looking at her in a totally different way than before. It made her feel exposed, somehow. She didn't like the feeling one bit.

"It's nice to meet someone who finally understands what it's like to be…_different_…to be laughed at."

"I am grateful for their teasing words," Jane blurted out.

Hiccup looked at her like she had lost her mind. "You _liked_ being laughed at?"

"No, not at the time. But I have realized that all it does is make you stronger. It makes you work harder for what you want, just so you can prove everybody wrong."

Hiccup's green eyes widened—as if the truth of it had suddenly struck him. "Yeah, I guess you're right about that."

"How long do you think the storm will last?" She was eager to change the topic to anything else.

Hiccup's gaze traveled to the mouth of the cave. Outside the storm raged on. "Berk has lots of storms, but they don't usually last long. Maybe an hour or two."

It was silent after that, and Jane was grateful for it. Still, as out of her element as she felt, she also noticed a deeper sense of understanding between her and Hiccup. If getting closer to him—and in turn, her mission—was what her discomfort had accomplished, then she was more than happy to deal with it.

* * *

><p>Gunther was happy when he awoke and found Jane was not there…at first.<p>

When he opened the wooden windows and looked outside—neither seeing nor hearing any indication that his partner was nearby—he began to worry. Here they were on a strange new land, with people who used to be their enemies, and Jane was…well, somewhere. As much as her company annoyed him at times, he thought it best they stick close—just until they could make out whether these Vikings were actually looking for peace or not. What if something should happen to Jane—or to him? There was security in numbers. It was so like Jane, though, to just run off like that without telling him where she went. Back in Kippernium she and that overgrown lizard of hers would disappear for hours.

Gunther pushed himself away from the sill and closed the windows. He might as well go and look for her. Besides, he was starting to get hungry. As soon as he stepped out the door, there was a noticeable difference to Berk. There were now dragons flying about—as common as the birds back in Kippernium—whereas the skies had been empty when they arrived. It would be just his luck that they were sent to the _one_ place on Earth where dragons existed in abundance. Big, overgrown, good-for-nothing lizards—all of them, if Dragon was anything to go by.

Gunther walked down a dirt path leading towards the stables, figuring Jane would go straight to Dragon. The two seemed to be joined at the hip. As he neared the stables, he could hear Dragon's laughter coming from inside, but…where was Jane's voice, or her annoying laugh?

He walked over and peeked his head through the doors, spotting Dragon with a few other dragons surrounding him, while he talked to their Viking owners. But Jane was nowhere in sight. How odd. If she was not with Dragon, then where could she be?

"Hello there," Gunther heard a woman's voice say. He nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned to see the blonde haired woman from before, standing there with one hand on her hip. He had seen her standing next to the chief when he and Jane arrived. Even though he had been tired to the point of exhaustion, he had still been enchanted by her beauty. He couldn't help but stare at her sparkling, blue diamond eyes or admire the way the sun glinted off her golden hair—the way the smaller braid on the side of her head got swept up into a large one that draped over her shoulder. He had expected the women on Berk to look more or less like feminine versions of their strange guide. Gunther had not expected a woman who looked like she could be even more beautiful than Queen Gwendolyn herself. Now that he was looking at her fully rested and alert, he could see she was even more beautiful than he previously thought. His eyes scanned over her appearance, noting the sharp spikes that protruded from her padded skirt and the metal armor plates she wore on both shoulders. A sudden frown pulled at his lips. What was a woman doing wearing armor like that? "Are you looking for something?"

She had a friendly smile on her face that instantly put Gunther at ease, despite the armor she wore. However, he wasn't about to admit to her that he was looking for Jane. "Yes, I was looking for the kitchen, Lady…"

"Astrid." She provided, pushed her bangs away from her face as she stepped forward to shake his hand. He was surprised to find that her grip was strong and firm—and that her hands were calloused and tough, much like his own. "And you're Sir Gunther, right?" Before he could answer she continued, "I remember you and your companion from earlier. Come on, I'll show you the way to the Great Hall—that's where we eat our meals."

He followed her as she led him down a path, and then up a hill to a large building with dragon designs all over it. As soon as they entered the room Gunther's eyes scanned the tables for Jane, but she was not in there either. Where on earth could she be? He tried to squash down his growing concern, but it was becoming harder the longer she was missing. Gunther forced his gaze back to Astrid and quickened his stride to catch up as she walked over to a table where a Viking man was doling out food. They both received their portions, and then she led him over to a table where a few other Vikings sat. As soon as he and Astrid sat down they all turned to look at him.

"Hello," he said uncertainly.

"So, you're the knight from that other kingdom?" one of them asked bluntly.

"Yes. My name is Sir Gunther," he said, extending a hand to shake.

"Name's Snotlout," he said, giving his hand a quick shake.

"I'm Fishlegs," a blond Viking said as he took a bite of his fish.

"I'm Tuffnut, and this is my less attractive twin, Ruffnut," another blond Viking with dreadlocks said. Ruffnut punched him in the arm, causing him to fall out of his chair and onto the floor.

"So, who was that girl from earlier?" Snotlout asked, leaning towards Gunther.

"Yeah, the one with the fire hair!" Tuffnut said as he picked himself up and sat back down on the bench.

Gunther furrowed his eyebrows. "Fire hair? You mean Jane?"

"She looks like a dragon lit her hair on fire and it's still burning…it's _awesome_!" Tuffnut exclaimed. Gunther raised an eyebrow.

"She definitely looks good," Snotlout said, wiggling his eyebrows. Gunther noticed that Ruffnut's head snapped up and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I wouldn't mind getting to know her a little better!" Tuffnut said.

"Too bad! I saw her first!" Snotlout said, puffing his chest out. Then he turned to Gunther. "Do you think you could introduce me?"

"I don't think she's that pretty!" Ruffnut said, stabbing her knife into the fish on her plate.

"I don't either. I still think _you're_ the most beautiful girl here," Fishlegs said, leaning closer to her. She rolled her eyes and let out a groan before shoving him away.

Gunther looked over the three male Vikings sitting in front of him, and then over at Astrid, who sat to his left. Here they were debating about who was better looking—Jane or Ruffnut—when there was a beautiful girl sitting no more than two feet away from them. Were they blind? Gunther couldn't see anything attractive about Ruffnut, who was clearly not happy with the attention being paid to Jane. He supposed there _might_ be something that could be considered attractive about Jane—you know, to those who didn't know her—but what about Astrid? With long, blonde hair swept into a braid, clear blue eyes, and a clever smile, she was more beautiful than any women he had ever seen in Kippernium—much less Berk. When she turned and gave him a smile, he quickly looked away.

"So Jane is a knight too?" Astrid asked before taking a swig of her drink.

"Not yet, she is still a squire in training, but she will become a knight, yes. I know that might be a strange idea to you—a female becoming a knight," Gunther said, remembering Hiccup's amused reaction to Jane being a knight. Astrid raised her head and gave Gunther a questioning look. It looked like she was about to speak, but before she could Tuffnut blurted out,

"A knight is just someone who fights people, right? So, wait, are _we_ knights?"

"No, we're warriors," Astrid replied, turning her gaze to him.

"What's the difference between a knight and a warrior?" Tuffnut asked.

"Knight's are slaves to a king, stupid, while warriors do whatever they want," Ruffnut replied before Gunther could say a word.

"We are _not_ slaves, we are in service to King Caradoc. There is a difference," he piped up.

"Uh-huh. Sure," she replied sarcastically. "_'in service' _sounds like a fancy word for slave."

"Actually, the term 'knight' is more of a social status than a job," Fishlegs began. "And knights are usually noblemen who own land given to them by the king they serve, while warriors—"

"Yeah, sure, that's really interesting, Fighlegs," Snotlout interrupted, holding up a hand to cut him off while still keeping his eyes glued on Gunther. "So, about that girl you brought…"

"Yeah, does she fight well?" Tuffnut asked. Gunther thought it was a strange question—what did it matter how well she fought when they were against the idea of women being knights?

"I suppose she fights well enough. She is training to be a knight, after all."

"Knights are trained from the age of seven—" Fishlegs began, but Snotlout let out a groan.

"Nobody cares, Fishlegs!"

"I'd rather hear about knights than this stupid new girl," Ruffnut said, pointing a knife at Snotlout.

Fishlegs perked up at her comment, a smile lighting up his face as he continued, "Knights are trained from such a young age, that they are skilled in all forms of combat and military tactics. Whereas warriors tend to learn only a few skills—"

At this Astrid froze and her blue eyes snapped up. "Warriors are skilled in all forms of combat, too."

"Not as skilled as knight's," Gunther interjected. "We study battle strategies and military tactics, while warriors are the people who run into a battle without a thought as to their plan."

"Warriors run into battle with a plan—winning!" Astrid said, forming a fist before pounding it down onto the table.

"Yeah—kill everything before it kills you!" Tuffnut exclaimed.

"_That_ is why a knight would win any battle against a Viking," Gunther said.

"Oh yeah? Then let's find out," Astrid said, poking Gunther's chest. "You against me!"

"Yeah! Let's have a fight!" Ruffnut said, banging a fist on the table in excitement.

Snotlout let out a sigh, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "Doesn't _anybody_ want to talk about the new attractive girl on Berk?"

"Oh, I do!" Tuffnut exclaimed, raising a hand in the air.

"Oh, I don't!" Ruffnut replied, once again slapping her brother out of his seat.

Gunther snorted as a grin slid across his face. "I cannot fight you—you are a woman!"

At this Astrid's blue eyes narrowed dangerously at him. "You don't think women can fight?"

"They can, just not as well as a man." Gunther noticed her grip tightened on the knife she held in her hand as he said that. A hint of nervousness sprung up in his chest, but he quickly pushed it aside. He was a _knight_, there was no way a _lady_ could scare him.

"Let's put it to the test, then," Astrid said, letting her knife clatter to the wooden table.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Ruffnut cheered.

Gunther was silent. He wanted to prove her wrong, of course, but he didn't like the idea of fighting her. Something about the look in her eyes set him on edge—it was like staring into the void; there was a strange sort of fascination that drew him in, yet he knew one wrong step might be his last. She seemed to sense his hesitation, and gave him a mocking grin. "What's the matter, you don't think you can beat a woman?"

Gunther's smug grin was wiped clean off his face as he narrowed his steel gray eyes at her. "Of course I can, but it would not be fair for you."

"I got five on Astrid," Ruffnut said, turning to her brother as he picked himself up from off the floor.

"Even _I'm_ not stupid enough to take that bet," Tuffnut replied, returning to his seat. Ruffnut turned her eyes to Snotlout and Fishlegs, who both looked away and started whistling.

"Fine, we shall fight then," Gunther relented, but couldn't help but feel that he was making a _very_ bad mistake.

* * *

><p><strong>I didn't plan on this being so long, but I didn't want to cut off with Jane and Hiccup when I said Gunther would appear in this chapter, and by the time I got to a point where I <em>could<em> cut it off, it was already over 6,000 words—but hey, that means there's more to read! :) Next chapter should pick up with Gunther again and Dragon sh****ould be coming back in as well. Well, that's about it! Thanks for all the reviews and support—hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!**

**Also, I'd like to give a quick shout-out to my beta-reader _gerryiscool_ and thank her for reading this over and helping me plot out the story! You are awesome! :)**


	6. Fight

_Chapter Six - Fight_

Gunther looked around the arena he was currently standing in. The walls around him were sheer rock with iron bars a little higher up. Beneath his feet were large slabs of granite that made up the floor, and high above him was a netted roof made entirely out of chain link. As he looked around the circular arena he could make out what looked like holding cells. Was this some sort of fighting arena—like the Colosseum in Rome?

"What is this place?" Gunther asked.

"This is Berk's Dragon Training Academy, but we'll have our fight here," Astrid announced as she paused in the middle and turned to face him. Gunther glanced back at the entrance, where the other Vikings stood, watching with eager anticipation for the fight to begin.

"What weapon shall we use?" Gunther asked, turning back around to face Astrid. "I shall let you decide, since you will need an advantage."

She frowned, narrowing her blue eyes at him. "Use whatever weapon you want, but I'm using my battle axe."

At this she brought two fingers to her lips and let out a shrill whistle. A moment later a brightly colored dragon swooped into the arena, causing the Vikings standing at the entrance to duck. Thinking better of standing in front of the only entrance, they moved to the side.

Astrid walked over to the dragon and reached up for something attached to the back of the saddle. Both of Gunther's eyebrows shoot up when she lifted a double-headed battle axe that couldn't have weighed less than forty pounds. Surely she didn't intend to _use_ it—it looked more like a weapon for battle than for sparring. But he watched with growing uncertainty as she gripped the handle with one hand and swung it around like it was a twig. She certainly didn't look _that_ strong. Glancing over her figure once again, Gunther noted her lean arms and small stature. How on earth did she manage to lift such a heavy object? It was half her size!

"Hold on, where are the wasters and staves?" Gunther asked, backing up. He and Jane sparred regularly, but usually with staves or wooden swords made for practice. Very rarely did they use real metal weapons to fight—those were reserved for more intensive training exercises, or for battle.

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What?"

"You know—training weapons for sparring."

She gave him a grin. "No, we fight with _real_ weapons."

"What, are you crazy?! One of us will end up dead!"

She raised her axe and pointed the sharpened end at his chest. "Isn't that what all that armor's for—protection?"

"Yes, of course, but that does not mean—"

"Come on, let's fight," she said, raising her battle axe over one shoulder.

Crouching down, she placed one foot behind her and got into a fighting stance. Gunther drew his sword, and as soon as he did, she came running at him—axe swinging as Gunther reeled back. The blade came down on him. Gunther dodged the attack, but another came right after—a swing from the side. He parried the blow with his sword, but the force of it caused him to stumble back. Pulling back, she swung her axe again and again, giving him time enough to parry her blows, but little else.

Astrid reminded him a bit of Jane—light and quick on her feet. But Astrid was far more dangerous an opponent; she had a sharp, calculated way of moving—like a tiger about to pounce on its prey. Gunther had heard tales about the fierce way of fighting that made the Vikings feared throughout all kingdoms—and Astrid seemed to embody that perfectly. They were said to enter into battle in a trance-like state—filled with fury and rage that earned them the name _berserkers_. He had always been told by Sir Theodore that aggression clouded the mind—but right now it seemed to have the opposite effect.

Gunther felt twinges of fear when he saw the look on Astrid's face as she swung her axe—concentrated anger. He ducked to the right and tumbled to the ground, swinging for her legs. With a jump, she cleared the blade, and then brought her axe down. Gunther rolled to his right, narrowly avoiding the blade as it cracked down onto the granite. He jumped up and swung just as she did. Their blades met in a loud clash of steel, reverberating throughout the arena. He felt the shock from the collision shoot through his body—rattling his brain and sending sharp pain up both arms.

He needed to disarm her, or at least disable her weapon—because trying to get the upper hand while she held a fully functional battle axe in her hands clearly wasn't going to work. A good blow or two with his sword could splinter the wooden handle covered in leather, rendering her weapon useless. That would be the easy part, though; the hard part would be getting a good swing past that huge blade. He didn't really stand a chance of getting the weapon away from her—not if her deadly, white-knuckled grip on it was any indication. He could possibly wear her out—swinging a forty pound battle axe had to take a lot out of her—but he was quickly tiring as well, and he didn't want to test his luck and see if his endurance held out long enough.

Gunther dodged to the left, then swung. She parried his blow easily and sent him stumbling with a heave of her blade against his sword. He quickly regained his footing, but kept backing up. He was surprised when she paused in her assault, but one look at her face told him her energy was draining quickly. Sweat dripped down her cheeks and neck, causing loose blonde strands to mat against her face. For a few moments he circled around her, sword straight out in front of him in defense. Even tired, he could tell she was tense, but she matched his steps—like a coiled snake waiting for the opportune time to strike.

He dove forward and swung again. She tried to parry his attack, but he managed to get his blade past hers—cracking down on the leather covered wood. But satisfaction was short-lived, because with his blade behind hers, he was left unprotected. She maneuvered her blade down and he felt her sharp axe slice through his padded sleeves—then the searing pain of metal piercing his skin. He let out a cry of pain and quickly pulled back, gritting his teeth in pain. Dragging in a few deep breaths, he tried to get his focus back on the battle instead of the intense pain in his arm.

He scanned over her axe, noting the torn leather grip, and then the slight fissure in the wood. Gunther sucked in a deep breath through clenched teeth, and pushed the pain in his arm to the furthest corner of his mind. Swinging his sword back, he dove forward and swung at her axe with all his might. She parried his attack, as expected. The clash of metal against metal rang through the air, but also the sickening crack of wood. Just as he predicted, the force of the blow sent him stumbling back. He fell to the ground, but the damage was already done. Astrid's axe splintered and the severed blade went flying to the side—landing several feet away.

Astrid glanced at the splintered wood she held in her hand in shock. Then, it quickly turned into rage as she ran at him. Gunther jumped to his feet and brought his sword around, swinging at her. She raised the wooden stick to block his blow—grabbing each end with one hand—and that was when Gunther made his first mistake. He didn't pull back fast enough, and with one simple twist of the wood, Astrid forced his arm sideways. He felt the handle slip from his grasp, and in one fluid motion, she grabbed the sword and turned it on him.

He stumbled back, his brain spinning as he tried to process what had just happened. How in the world did she _do_ that?! As he stared at the sword in her hand, he suddenly realized the predicament he was in—he was now weaponless. His eyes darted around for something—_anything_—he could use as she ran at him. He dodged her attack and jumped to the side.

Suddenly there was a loud _boom_. Both Astrid and Gunther paused and looked up at the sky to see dark storm clouds approaching. As he glanced around the arena, he suddenly wondered how he didn't notice how dark it had gotten. A frigid wind suddenly blew past as a brilliant bolt of lightning lit up the black clouds. Then, there was a sudden onslaught of rain.

Freezing water pelted down on him, and he felt his body both tense up and relax. Now they would _have_ to stop the fight—or at least move it to a location indoors. As he lowered his defensive stance he suddenly felt the pain from before flare up in his arm, and looked down to see a long gash running down his forearm. Dark blood seeped out and stained the torn padding of his sleeve. Just as he was about to turn and head for the entrance, Astrid snapped back to attention and raised her sword.

He furrowed his eyebrows at her, feeling his body go into alert. "We should head inside because of the rain."

"What's the matter—can't fight in the rain?" she asked, taunting him.

He narrowed his eyes at her. Was she _insane_? She wanted them to _fight_ in the rain? He didn't get the chance to say anything, though, because she ran at him. He reacted immediately, diving out of the way. But the ground was slick from the rain, and his feet slid out from under him. Astrid was momentarily stunned by his sudden drop, and he saw his opportunity. He tackled her feet, forcing her to the ground.

Her grip on the blade slackened as she tumbled down. Kicking a foot out, Gunther sent the sword spinning away from the both of them. It was a risky move—leaving them both weaponless—but he couldn't risk her using another move to wrestle the sword from him. Besides, he was skilled in hand-to-hand combat and knew he could easily overpower her this way.

Before he could pin her, she lunged at him, slamming his shoulder into the ground. His right shoulder screamed out in pain, but he wrapped a leg around hers, sending her tumbling onto her back. Rolling on top of her, he tried to grab her wrists and pin her down, but she was much stronger than she looked. Her hips bucked up wildly against his as she tried to free herself. If Gunther didn't have adrenaline rushing through his veins, and if survival hadn't been the _only_ thing on his mind—he might have been aroused by it. Even so, it still caused his heart to stutter and his concentration to slip. He grasped at her wrists, trying to pin them down, but they were both wet from the rain. He was having a hard time concentrating as the water beat down on him and obscured his vision.

With one quick jerk, Astrid slid one hand free. Gunther let out a cry as her finger jammed into his eyes, temporarily blinding him. As his grip slackened, she freed her other arm. Before he even had time to recover, he felt a fist punch his throat. All air was expelled from his lungs, and he felt like he was going to suffocate. With his breath and sight gone, she was able to wiggle her lower body free, and rammed a knee up—right to his groin. If all the air wasn't already gone from his lungs, it surely was now. The sharp searing pain traveled from his crotch to his stomach, burning everything up in its path. Gunther felt like he was going to be sick.

He wanted to lay there for the next day or two, but he didn't get any time to recover before he was flipped over onto his back. A heavy weight settled on his stomach and chest, making him cry out from the pain as something pressed firmly against his throat. He could barely crack his eyes open to see Astrid sitting on top of him, forearm resting against his throat. Both her knees were spread, each one pinning an arm beneath her weight. He was in too much pain to fight anyway, and lay there in humiliation.

"Hey, look—he's turning green!" he heard one of the Vikings exclaim. His mind was too hazy with pain to make out which one it was.

"Yield?" Astrid finally asked, sounding a little breathless.

Gunther tried to speak, but the only sound that came out of his mouth was a pitiful little mewling. When he gave a numb nod, she let out a breath of relief and removed her arm. He lay there for a minute or two, waiting for the pain to die down. When it finally dulled to a slow throbbing, he slowly sat up, feeling his stomach lurch at the movement. His grey eyes snapped up to Astrid, who stood there with a hand held out to help him up. Her clothes were torn and dirty, while her hair had come out of its tight braid and hung in wet clumps around her face. There was mud smeared on her face and most of her clothes, but she looked otherwise unharmed. It filled him with anger that she should be perfectly all right while he was still reeling from the pain. Smacking her hand away, he stood on his own and sent her a glare.

"You are a cheat!" he said, his voice coming out raspy.

She narrowed her eyes and took a threatening step closer. "What?"

"You fight unfair! Those moves were dirty!" he accused, and to his surprise a smile pulled at her lips as she let out a snort. "What are you smiling about? There is no honor in winning through tricks."

"See, _that's_ why you lost! It may be dirty, but it's how you win," she said, giving him a poke in the chest. "What good is honor if you're dead?"

Before Gunther could reply, a large green form swooped through the entrance of the arena. Gunther could barely make out Dragon's appearance as he gazed at him through the curtain of rain. But as the green lizard came closer, Gunther could see his large red eyes scanning over both him and Astrid, probably noting their messy appearance. Gunther felt his temper flare when the good-for-nothing lizard actually smirked in amusement, cocking his head to one side.

"I have heard of pigs taking mud baths, but not short lives…though I suppose Gunther is rather piggish."

Before Gunther could reply, both Tuffnut and Ruffnut burst out laughing.

"Can't really argue with that," Astrid said with a shrug. "We were just sparring. Seems Gunther here doesn't think girls can fight."

Dragon let out a _tsk_. "I do not know why he would think that, since Jane bests him on a regular basis," he said, and Astrid smirked.

"Well, seems he needed to learn that lesson again."

"Jane does not best me! And _you_ only won through dirty tricks!" Gunther shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Dragon, and then at Astrid.

Dragon clapped his huge paws. "Oh, good tactic! I am always telling Jane she needs to play a little dirty."

Astrid gave Dragon a grin. "Well, we _are_ Vikings. Playing dirty is our specialty."

"I have a feeling I am going to like you Vikings," Dragon said, giving Astrid a grin in return. "Speaking of Jane, where is she?"

_Just what I was wondering earlier,_ Gunther thought to himself, but didn't dare say it out loud. He continued to glare at Dragon.

"Tell me where she is," Dragon commanded, turning his large red eyes to Gunther and pointing a claw at him.

"How should I know? What do I look like—her keeper?" he snapped back.

Dragon's eyes narrowed in anger. "She is your partner, is she not? Which means it is _your _duty to look out for her so she does not go missing—just as you will go missing if you do not find out where she is!" Dragon threatened, the smoke from his nostrils sizzling as it hit the rain.

"I saw her ride off on Toothless with Hiccup!" Fishlegs piped up, saving Gunther.

At this Dragon swung his head around so fast that Fishlegs jumped in fright. "She was riding on another dragon?"

Gunther noticed that Dragon's tone was a cross between anger and pain. _Good, the big lizard needs to realize he's not the center of the universe,_ he thought bitterly. Then, he watched as his expression suddenly changed.

"You mean she is out there in this storm?" Dragon nearly cried.

"Yes, but she has Hiccup with her—" Fishlegs tried to explain.

"I would not care if she had a whole army with her! I must get to her!" he said before rushing from the arena. With a giant flap of his wings he took flight and disappeared into the dark sky.

* * *

><p>Jane leaned back against Toothless, watching the flames from the fire dance and throw shadows across the cave walls. She turned to see Hiccup with his head leaned back against his dragon, eyes closed and softly humming a catchy little tune. His fingers drummed lightly against the knees he had drawn up against his chest.<p>

It had been silent for a while, but it was a peaceful sort of silence that Jane found she enjoyed. She leaned her head back against the large black dragon and was about to close her eyes when a sound broke through the quiet.

It was very faint at first—so faint that she almost missed it. She sat up straight, listening intently. There it was again! And it was growing louder. Standing, she moved to the mouth of the cave and peered out through the rain still pouring down outside.

"Jane!"

Her eyes widened when she recognized the voice of her best friend. "Dragon! Over here!" she called out, poking her head out as far as she could without getting it drenched. "I am over here!"

"Jane?" came his reply, indicating he had heard her.

"Follow my voice!" she called out, and didn't stop until she saw his giant form swoop down onto the island.

"Jane! You are all right!" he nearly cried, running over to the cave entrance. When he tried to get inside the cave, he found that he couldn't fit through the opening. Jane gave him a pat on the nose and a warm smile.

"Of course I am, you big newt," she said with a laugh. "Why would I not be all right?"

At this Dragon turned his large red eyes to Hiccup, who was now fully alert and standing. He narrowed them and let out a snort of smoke. "How dare you take Jane out in these conditions? Do you not know how dangerous it is to fly during a storm? And on that tiny little dragon of yours, where there is barely enough room for two people? What if she had fallen off? What if lightning had struck her?!" Dragon shouted, his nostrils now glowing red.

Jane put a hand on his snout. "Dragon, calm down. There was more than enough room on Toothless for the both of us, and it was sunny and clear when we started out. We took shelter as soon as the storm began. There was never any danger."

She decided not to mention how they nearly got struck by lightning. _What Dragon does not know will not hurt him_, she told herself,_ and more importantly, will not hurt Hiccup._ The last thing she needed was Dragon getting all upset and threatening the Chief—or even worse, scorching him. Though she doubted Dragon would get much of a chance to do anything to Hiccup with Toothless by his side.

Dragon continued to glare at Hiccup, who looked slightly confused by his outburst, but not at all intimidated like she had expected. Perhaps after years of training dragons, they didn't scare him anymore. Before Jane could think of anything to say, Dragon turned and began to walk away. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Dragon?" she called out after him. When he disappeared from her view, she turned back to face Hiccup. "I will be back in a minute."

She ran out from the cave opening and instantly felt her muscles freeze when the rain flooded down on her. A violent chill shook her as the rain drenched her body—but she grit her teeth against the sting of freezing cold raindrops and ran after Dragon. Wrapping both arms around herself, she rubbed her hands up and down in an attempt to keep warm.

"Dragon, where are you going?" she asked, her voice strained as she tried to push aside the coldness settling over her. Rivulets of rains streamed down her face, leaving it numb. When Dragon finally came to a stop under a cluster of trees, she let out a sigh. At least they had some protection from the storm. "Dragon, why did you walk away?"

"I went to find someplace else, because apparently there is not enough room for your very best friend." Jane could tell by his tone that he wasn't just referring to the cave. She just wished she knew what he was trying to say.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong." The tone of his voice spoke otherwise.

"Dragon, I have good news," Jane said, trying to change the subject to something happier, but she could feel her teeth starting to chatter from the cold. She was met only with a short grunt from Dragon. "Here on Berk they have a game that is made for both dragons _and_ humans! It is a race where you have to collect sheep and drop them into a basket. We would have to train a bit, but I think we could win. Does that not sound like fun?"

"Are you sure you would not rather compete with that short life Chief and his overgrown bat?"

Jane furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Overgrown bat? As I remember, you were the one who nearly crushed that _overgrown bat_ with a hug this morning."

"Yes, well…I was excited."

"What exactly is your problem with Toothless, Dragon?" Jane asked, feeling herself grow irritated.

"Oh, so you two are on a first name basis now?" he accused. Jane resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Now you are just being silly. What has gotten into you?" she asked. He was silent, and suddenly—it hit her. "Wait, are you jealous because I rode Toothless?"

Dragon gave a snort. "Ha! Of course not! Dragons do _not_ get jealous, only short lives do! I am not jealous!"

"Well good, because you have no reason to be."

"Well good, because I am not!" he huffed back, and then a moment later, "I am merely surprised by your lack of loyalty to me—your _supposed_ best friend."

"What do you mean, lack of loyalty?" she snapped. "Just because I went for a ride on another dragon?"

"_I_ have never given any other short life a ride on my back except you!"

"What about Rake?" she asked, tightening her arms around her chest. She was so _cold._

"You _asked_ me to give him a ride—practically begged me! That is completely different!" he exclaimed, throwing his paws into the air.

"No, it is not!"

"Yes, it is, because you _asked_ me to take him on a ride. You did not ask if you could go on a ride with Toothless!" Dragon replied, and Jane felt her temper flare at his words.

"I was not aware I needed your permission to do the things I wanted. Please, tell me what I _am_ and am _not_ allowed to do!"

"Fine, do what you want then! Fly on that tiny little dragon all the time—since it is what you _want_ to do!" he shouted before taking off.

As she watched his figure disappear into the sky she felt a stab of regret, but quickly pushed it away. No, the big lizard needed to learn that she could make her own decisions. What was the big deal anyway? All she did was go on _one _ride with Toothless, it was not like she decided to ditch Dragon altogether and find a new dragon to ride! She only went on a tour of Berk—and only because she didn't want to bother Dragon. She wanted to give him time to meet the other dragons—and now he was mad at her because of it!

She let out a cry and stamped her foot in frustration. Spinning around, she tromped back to the cave opening, feeling the cold water slosh inside her shoes with each step. As she entered the cave and neared the fire, Jane felt warmth seep back into her body and she let out a sigh of relief. Then she looked over at her companions. Toothless looked like he was asleep, but Hiccup stared at Jane awkwardly. He looked like he was about to say something, but the seconds dragged on in silence. Finally, she heaved in a deep breath and sat down beside him, holding her hands out towards the fire.

"You are lucky Toothless cannot talk," she said, and Hiccup chuckled in response.

"Even though he can't speak, we still have our disagreements sometimes."

Jane's eyes widened. "You heard our conversation?"

"No, but you two weren't exactly being quiet. I heard yelling."

Jane felt her shoulders slump as she turned her gaze to the ground. She hated fighting with Dragon. "He was jealous because I went on a ride with you and Toothless."

As Jane turned her eyes back up to Hiccup she saw him smack a hand against his forehead. "Oh man, I should have thought about that before I asked you."

Jane frowned. "You did nothing wrong, Hiccup. Dragon needs to realize that I do not need to ask his permission before taking a ride on another dragon."

"Maybe he was worried you would like riding on Toothless more than you like riding him."

At this Jane felt herself pause. Could that be why Dragon was envious? Not because he wanted to be her only dragon and control her decisions—but because he thought she might like Toothless more than him? How could he think something like that? They had been best friends for eight years, did he really think one ride on another dragon would change that?

Jane furrowed her eyebrows. "Why would he think that?"

Hiccup smiled. "Well, Toothless is pretty awesome." Jane felt a smile tug at her lips at the teasing words. "You said he's been alone his whole life—so finding out thousands of other dragons exist is bound to have a big effect on him. Maybe even make him jealous."

Jane lowered her gaze. "I suppose I _might_ have overreacted—just a bit."

* * *

><p><strong>A bit shorter than my usual chapter, but a lot did happen in this! :) Next chapter might be a bit shorter than this one, but it should be out soon. Let me know what you think, and hope you enjoyed! :)<strong>

**I'd like to thank my beta-reader **_gerryiscool_** for spotting a typo in this chapter and helping me sort out and fix that problems with the next chapter! :)**


	7. Doubts

_Chapter Seven - Doubts_

Hiccup poked at the fire, stirring the dying embers to life once again. He looked over at Jane, who was staring off at the mouth of the cave—as if wishing for Dragon to come back. It was clear to him that the two of them were very close—as close as him and Toothless, it seemed. After a few minutes of silence Jane finally let out a sigh and turned her gaze back to the fire. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she leaned over and rested her chin on them, looking defeated.

Hiccup looked outside to see that the rain had cleared up—just as he had predicted. The gray and black storm clouds had parted to reveal a sky lined with stars and a crescent moon rising over the horizon. Storms in Berk were fierce, but they hardly ever lasted long. He stood and brushed the dust off his clothes before kicking some dirt into the fire pit and putting it out.

"The storm's cleared up and it's getting late, we should head back," he said, turning to Jane. She gave a silent nod and stood.

When they got back to Berk Hiccup had Toothless land in front of the Great Hall—the place where they had set off. They both dismounted and walked into the building. Hiccup glanced around the room and instantly spotted Sir Gunther sitting at a table—surrounded by the twins, Snotlout, and Fishlegs. One of the healing women stood next to him, wiping the inside of his arm with a rag. What was going on?

Before he could get a good look at him, both Snotlout and Tuffnut turned and caught sight of them. They shared a quick glance before jumping up from their seats and rushing over to them. Hiccup paused and prepared for the worst—but both boys came to a stop in front of Jane.

"Hey, I'm Snotlout. You know, the one with the coolest dragon on Berk?" he said, and Hiccup resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He really _should_ have expected this—Snotlout would hit on any woman within a two mile radius—but did he have to do this right _now?_

"Which dragon is that?" Jane asked.

"You know—the one who set himself on fire?"

He watched as Jane's eyes lit up. "Oh, the um…Monstrous Nightmare, correct?"

"Yeah. That's _my_ dragon," Snotlout said with a smirk. "Pretty amazing, isn't he? But not as amazing as his rider."

"My dragon is way cooler…or, uh…hotter," Tuffnut said. Hiccup raised an eyebrow. Oh great, Tuff too? "You know—like your hair. Cause it looks like fire…except it doesn't burn."

One look at Jane told Hiccup she was feeling very uncomfortable with all the attention. She reached a hand up and nervously ran her fingers through her curls. "Oh, um, thank you?" She furrowed her eyebrows. "That _was_ a compliment, yes?"

"Oh yeah," Tuffnut said, leaning in closer to Jane. He saw her lean away slightly, eyes widening. "I love fire. It destroys everything."

"Ah, yes." She looked at a loss for words, which wasn't really surprised. Nobody really knew what Tuffnut was talking about most of the time.

"Uh, guys? We really don't have time for this," Hiccup said, pushing past them to see what was going on at the table. His eyebrows creased in worry when he saw Gunther sitting there covered in mud—clothes torn and hair disheveled. He quickened his pace and as he got closer, he noticed the dark red stain of blood on the white cloth. His breath stalled in his throat. Gunther looked like he had been beaten. Had he gotten in a fight with one of the Vikings?

"I am fine, leave me be!" Gunther snapped at the woman trying to help him. She let out a huff and threw the rag in his face before walking off. He swiped it off, and Hiccup could see the anger in his eyes.

"Hiccup—you missed the fight!" Ruffnut exclaimed, and Hiccup nearly had a heart attack. He's gone an hour—two at the most—and there's a fight. Typical.

He spun around and sent a glare at Snotlout. "What did you _do_ to him?!"

"I didn't do anything! Why does everyone always assume it's me?"

"Who hurt him?" Hiccup demanded as he walked over to Gunther. Up close, he noticed that the knight had a black eye and a nasty bruise on his neck.

"Astrid!" Ruffnut exclaimed with a grin. "He said she couldn't fight because she was a woman—so she kicked his butt!"

"She used dirty fighting moves! Had she fought with honor I would have won!" Gunther snapped, then cringed as he pressed the rag against his wound.

Hiccup quickly assessed the damage. The cut wasn't too deep, and seemed clean. It should heal, given time and proper bandaging, but Odin forbid it should leave a scar. The last thing he needed was for the two envoys to return to their king bloodied, scarred, and bruised.

He let out a sigh and closed his eyes. Bringing both hands up to his head, he ran them down his face. He knew how short tempered and competitive Astrid could be. To her, violence was communication. Hiccup should know—he had been punched in the arm more times than he cared to count, but did she _have_ to go and beat up their new guest? The two envoys had been here less than a day and already he was off to a bad start. At this rate they'd be packing up and leaving for Kippernium! He _needed_ this alliance to go through!

"I'm so sorry, are you all right? Is there anything I can get you?" Hiccup asked, bending down slightly to talk to Gunther. Gray eyes snapped up to meet his with a cold look.

"No, I am fine. If you will excuse me, I am going to retire to my quarters," Gunther said with the utmost politeness, though the cold look in his eyes said something else entirely.

Jane walked over and tried to help him up, but he waved her off and stood on his own. He watched as they both walked out the large double doors—Gunther hobbling more than walking, really. Then he turned around and fixed the group with a glare.

"Where is Astrid?" he demanded.

"Uh-oh, looks like someone's in trouble," Ruffnut muttered.

"She went to the forge to fix her axe," Fishlegs said.

Hiccup turned and stormed off—determined to give her a piece of his mind. Just as Fishlegs said, he found her inside the forge. He felt his heart stall when he saw the state she was in—clothes torn and mud smeared all over her. As he glanced over her body, he was relieved to find that she looked unharmed, albeit very messy. Her double-headed battle axe lay on the counter—the wood splintered just a few inches past the blade. It looked like she was trying to remove it.

"Astrid, I need to talk to you!" he said in his sternest voice. When her blue eyes snapped up and glared at him in silent anger, he added a quieter, "Please."

"What?"

"Ruffnut said you attacked Gunther," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes, we sparred," she answered, finally managing to detach the splintered wooden handle from the double-sided blade. Tossing it aside, she turned and rested her back against the wooden counter. "He said women couldn't fight as well as men, so I challenged him to a duel."

Hiccup glanced at the broken weapon, and something finally clicked. "You used your battle axe on him?! _Why_ would you _do_ that?" he nearly cried. "What if you had _killed_ him?"

Astrid narrowed her eyes. "I know how to wield my own axe, Hiccup. I wouldn't have killed him. I only wanted to teach him a lesson—maybe give him a scar or two," she added with a shrug. "Besides, he was asking for it!"

"I don't care what he asks you to do! We need them to deliver a good report to their King so we can make an alliance!"

Astrid rolled her eyes. "That's another thing—why do we even need this alliance? So what if he gives us a bad report?"

Hiccup let out a sigh. "You don't understand, Astrid. We need them to like us—we _need_ this alliance to go through!"

She snorted. "Why? We're doing just fine on our own—we always have been. We don't need them."

"Yes, we really _do_ need them," Hiccup said. He hadn't told anyone—well, besides his mom—just how dire their situation on Berk was. There was no need to cause a panic on Berk, but they weren't going to last through the winter if they didn't get food—and fast.

"Why, so we can trade trinkets? We can get everything we need from Trader Johann."

"But he doesn't bring food. Or at least, not a lot."

Astrid gave a shrug. "Okay, so we'll have to ration our food carefully this winter, but—"

"We won't _last_ the winter!" he snapped. "Whether we ration or not, we'll starve if we don't trade for food!"

When he saw the look that crossed her face, he instantly regretted his words. Not because they weren't true, but because he hadn't wanted to worry her. Realization dawned on her face, and the harsh look in her eyes softened.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" she asked, looking hurt. Great, now he felt guilty.

He drew in a breath, then let out a sigh. "I didn't want to worry you—or anyone else on Berk. I'm supposed to be the Chief…and I can't even feed my people."

There was a long silence before Astrid finally spoke. "You don't have to do this alone, Hiccup. I'm here for you, and I know your mother is too."

Hiccup wished it were that easy—to just let her help him. He had come to trust and rely on her so much over the years, but this…she didn't understand. This was his duty alone. She always knew what she wanted and went after it. Astrid never had something like this thrust upon her. She never had to shoulder the burden of knowing _everyone _depended on her. If he failed in his duty, people could die. Try as she might, he knew she could never understand _that_. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he didn't know what to do.

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, and looked up to see her blue eyes staring at him with complete understanding. "What do you need me to do?"

Hiccup gave her a smile, feeling a wave of affection sweep over him. "I need you to get along with the envoys. All the other Vikings our age look up to you, so I need you to set the example. I think Gunther learned his lesson, so you won't have to worry about him saying anything else. If he does, just tell me and I'll deal with it."

She smirked, putting both hands on her hips. "Yes, in your peace-making, Hiccup way."

He chuckled. "Yeah, something like that."

Astrid let out a sigh, crossing her arms. "All right, I'll go and make friends tomorrow. Break bread with him and all that."

Hiccup made a face. "Actually, we have a bit of a bread shortage. Break a rock or something—we have plenty of those. Just don't break it over his head."

She smiled and rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I'll try."

"Thank you, Astrid," he said before pulling her in for a quick kiss. "All right, now let's fix that axe. I think there's a spare handle somewhere in here."

He walked into the room with spare weapons parts and looked around for a leather-grip handle. Astrid walked in and took a seat on a tabletop, watching as Hiccup searched for the part.

"How did your axe break anyway?" Hiccup asked.

Astrid frowned a little, crossing her arms. "Gunther struck behind the blade and cracked the wood, then he splintered it with a good hit. It was a smart move. I thought he was all talk, but he _actually_ fights well…just not as well as me." She gave a shrug, but Hiccup knew how big of a compliment that was coming from Astrid.

"I don't know anybody who fights as well as you."

"That talking dragon said that Jane constantly beats Gunther. I wonder how well she fights."

Hiccup spun around, pointing a finger at her. "Don't challenge her too—we don't need two bloodied and bruised knights."

She held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay."

There was a pause in their conversation when Hiccup finally found the wooden handle he was looking for. He picked up the battle axe head and brought it over to two flat stones. Putting it between them, he tightened it until the blade was firmly in place.

As he worked Astrid walked over to him. "I heard you took her on a tour of Berk."

"Yeah. Well, she wondered how fast Toothless was, so I decided to show her. We made it pretty far out, but then a storm hit so we took cover in the cave at Itchy Armpit."

Astrid cracked a smile. "You're going to have to change that name. It's ridiculous."

"Take it up with Toothless—he named it."

"You know, Snotlout and Tuffnut both like her. Eret too, I think."

"Eret? Okay, I didn't see that one coming. But Snotlout and Tuffnut made it pretty obvious."

"Yeah. Ruffnut isn't too happy about that."

Hiccup smiled. "I figured. She has competition now."

Somehow that didn't surprise him in the least. He knew that one of the reasons Ruffnut was fought over by both Snotlout and Fishlegs was because she was the last single woman on Berk around their age. But now Jane was here—and single, too. Well, as far as he knew. Gunther made it pretty clear that he didn't have any romantic attachment to Jane, but she might have someone special back home. She hadn't made any mention of someone, though, and he knew that until she did, all three boys—Tuffnut, Snotlout, and Eret—would be trying to get her attention. He could see why, she was definitely pretty—even Hiccup could admit that.

"_I_ don't have competition, do I?" Astrid asked quietly. He paused in his work and turned to look at her. There was a hardness in her eyes, but behind it was a vulnerability he knew Astrid only let _him_ see.

"Of course not," he said with a shrug. "I mean, I like talking to her and I think we could be friends, but she's so different from you."

Astrid smiled and Hiccup resumed his work, thinking about just _how _different they were—but also how similar. There was that spark of fire in both of them—that passion he always admired in Astrid…but lately things had been different. Astrid had always been his rock—the one person he trusted the most and could always count on. _That_, at least, had never changed. However, the fire inside her seemed to have dimmed down a little.

She used to want to explore new places and seek out adventures—but that was gone. Her competitive drive and love of riding dragons was still there, thankfully, but she always declined Hiccup's invitation to come with him and map out new places. He _still_ wanted to map the world—to find out what lay beyond his own little archipelago. Astrid thought he was searching for himself out there, and sure, maybe that was how it started out, but it was more than just that. He felt drawn to the great unknown—like there was something out there just waiting to be discovered. It was almost like there was something out there he still needed to find, while all Astrid wanted was for him to _stay_. He wished it were that easy—to just stay put and perform his duties as Chief, but something kept drawing him back to the map—to the undiscovered. She had changed a lot in five years, but then again, so had he.

For the past month things had been piling up all around him. Sometimes he felt like he was going crazy from all the pressure and stress placed on him, but today—when he was flying through the sky with Toothless and Jane—it felt like he had rediscovered a missing part of himself. He hadn't flown Toothless in over a month—too busy working to get any free time. He'd almost forgotten how great it felt, and now he didn't want to lose that part of him again.

He knew Astrid wasn't doing it on purpose—she didn't want him to be miserable—she just wanted different things. As he tightened the handle he stole a glance at her. She had wandered over to his workshop and was looking at the drawings he had made a while back. A smile crossed his face as he watched her look over his inventions. He loved Astrid, and wanted to make her happy, but sometimes he felt like she wanted the opposite of what he did. Marriage, settling down, children—those were all things he _knew_ she wanted…things she had been hinting at lately. And sure, he wanted them too, but not right away.

Not right _now_.

He felt his smile fade as he turned back to the task at hand, making sure the blade was on tight.

* * *

><p>"Ow!"<p>

Jane looked over at Gunther, who was sitting on the opposite side of the small table in their cabin, cleaning his wound. The stubborn bog weevil insisted on doing it himself, but had agreed to let Jane bandage it, seeing as how it would be difficult to do it himself. When he was finished, he put the rag down and held his arm out. Jane grabbed the long linen cloth and went to sit down beside him. He winced as she tightly wrapped the bandages around his arm, but didn't complain. When she tied the ends off he actually muttered a "Thank you," to her surprise.

"Next time, try not to provoke an attack," Jane chastised him.

"I did not _provoke_ her. All I said was that women do not fight as well as men, and then she challenged me to a duel."

"And why would you say something like that to her?"

"How was I supposed to know she was the _Jane _of Berk?"

"All the women here are warriors."

Gunther narrowed his grey eyes in suspicion. "What? But earlier Hiccup said—"

"It was a misunderstanding. He was only surprised I was a knight, given how women are treated where we are from. Apparently, the women here are just as tough as the men. Sometimes even tougher, or so Hiccup says."

Gunther cringed, rolling his eyes. "Well, that is just great! It figures we would be sent to an island full of women just like _you_!"

Jane frowned. "Say what you want about me, but try to keep your big mouth shut when you are around them. We have only been here for a few hours and already we have insulted them. The King entrusted us with this important task, and _I_ intend to take it seriously."

At this his grey eyes snapped up and narrowed dangerously. "Take it _seriously?_" he sneered. "That is funny—coming from the girl who just flew off and disappeared with the Chief! Were you not the one who kept prattling on and on about how something was _off_ on the way here? And now you trust them because they have dragons? We need to be on our guard, Jane! We have only been here for mere hours and already you act as though you and Hiccup were childhood friends!"

"How am I supposed to assess the situation without getting close to the Chief?"

"Get close to him—become friends, I do not care! But _do not_ just fly off without a word and leave me in the dark as to where you went!" he snapped, and Jane felt her temper flare. Why did everyone keep expecting her to ask their permission to do anything?

"I _was_ tasked with finding out Hiccup's true character, so I took the opportunity when it presented itself! I do not need your permission to do anything, you are _not_ my King!"

"No, I am your _partner_, and while you might not need my permission, it would be a good idea to let me know you are going somewhere before you just take off! What if something had happened? I would have no idea how or even _where_ to find you! Do you not realize that? We are a team, Jane, which means we need to work and make decisions _together_!" he practically yelled, and Jane was surprised to see the concern shining through in his eyes.

For the third time that day, Jane realized she had been wrong about another's motives. Gunther was not trying to lord himself over her, but had been concerned when she disappeared. She gave a thick swallow when she realized he was right. They were in a potentially hostile environment and she had failed to give him any warning that she was leaving or where she was going. Making amends with Dragon would have to wait until tomorrow, but Gunther was sitting right in front of her. She took a deep breath.

"You are right," she said slowly. "Next time I will tell you before I leave."

He gave a nod. "Good." There was a long silence before Gunther finally asked, "Now, what did you learn about Chief Hiccup?"

"He seems to be just how Gobber described, but I only spent half an hour actually talking to him. It is too early to tell…but so far, everything seems to check out."

"You remember what Sir Theodore said—they might be trying to create a false sense of security to get information and plan an attack. You did not reveal any compromising information about our kingdom, did you?" he asked.

Jane felt insulted. "Of course not!" Did he think she was _completely_ incompetent? "I only told him a bit of information about myself to gain his trust. I would never do anything to compromise the kingdom! And what about you, did you learn anything?"

"Nothing yet, except that the men here on Berk have a poor taste in women." Jane raised an eyebrow at the random piece of information. "Which reminds me, I think it only fair to warn you that two of the Vikings here have taken a fancy to you, though I have no idea why."

Jane pressed her lips into a thin line, holding back a sigh. She had guessed as much—and knew exactly who he was referring to. At first she had tried to brush off her assumptions, but that wasn't an option. Great, _just_ what she needed right now—distraction. Maybe if she told them she had someone special back home they would keep their distance. After all, she _did_ have someone very special to her back in Kippernium—Jester. He would certainly like it if they could be sweethearts. But even telling a half-lie was still a lie—and in violation of the Knight's Code of Conduct. She would just have to remain polite but firm with them—she had no time for stuff like that, she was here on a mission.

"I shall keep that in mind." Jane stood and stretched her limbs. "We should get some sleep. Hiccup wants to talk about the treaty tomorrow, so we need to be well-rested and alert."

Gunther nodded in agreement and stood, walking over to his bedroom door. Jane walked into her room and got undressed. The stiff boards of the bed were strange after sleeping for so many years on a comfy, plush mattress in the castle, but it was certainly better than sleeping on a rocking boat, or by the side of the road on the dirt—which was where she had been sleeping for the past week.

She laid down on the bed and brought the blanket up to her chin, thinking about all she had learned. It had been a _long_ day, but she had accomplished a lot. For one, she had discovered more dragons—the one thing she and Dragon had spent years searching for. Then, later in the cave, she had managed to get closer to Hiccup, and in turn, her mission. From what she could tell, he was kind-hearted. He had the opportunity to kill Toothless, but in the end, had not. She also gleamed information that he was stubborn and a bit reckless—just as Gobber had said to King Caradoc. So far, everything had checked out, but she still needed more facts. She had been foolish to just hop on the back of Toothless and fly off without telling Gunther. In the future she would have to take a more careful approach—only be alone with Hiccup—or any Viking, for that matter—if Gunther knew where she was going. She needed to get closer, but also remain cautious.

_It is more than that, though,_ another part of her mind whispered. Jane turned over and snuggled her face into the pillow—an action that reminded her of how she had buried her face in Hiccup's neck. Even at the thought of it, Jane felt her face grow hot.

Talking with Hiccup had gained Jane his trust and had provided her with valuable information, but the voice in her mind was right. She enjoyed his company. It was nice to meet someone who had gone through something similar to her. And that was what Jane liked the most—that Hiccup reminded her of herself. They had both once been the underdogs—the one's nobody expected much from. They had both risen above other people's expectations and done great things. At their basest level, they were two kindred souls. So maybe some part of her did want to get closer to Hiccup _just_ because she felt so comfortable around him…and that was a problem. She couldn't allow herself to trust him—not just yet—and then there was also another matter.

_This is a mission, I must push any bias aside and be impartial,_ she told herself.

She couldn't let any sort of connection or comradeship between her and Hiccup distort her view of the truth. Could she still become friends with him and remain impartial? Well, it seemed she was about to find out. Jane shook her head, as if clearing her thoughts, and tried to go to sleep. But even in sleep, it seemed she couldn't escape.

All she dreamt about that night were green eyes, soft brown hair, and an inviting smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, here it is! :)<strong>

**Once again, I'd like to thank **_gerryiscool_** for helping me out with this chapter, and thanks to everyone who's been following, favoriting, and reviewing. Your support means a lot! ****Hope you enjoyed!**


	8. Gathering A Council

_Chapter Eight – Gathering A Council_

Jane awoke before the sun rose. Feeling well-rested for the first time in a week, she allowed herself to snuggle deeper under the covers. After a while she grew restless and stood. The room was dark, but once she opened the windows, the pre-morning glow of the sun gave her some light. Her eyes searched the dusky landscape, hoping Dragon might be somewhere nearby, but he was nowhere in sight.

She noticed tiny green dragons sitting on the tops of roofs, chirping like birds. A smile pulled at her lips. So different from Kippernium, yet not so different at all. Feeling a chill in the air, she closed the wooden windows and found the cloak she had packed in her satchel. She shrugged the warm woolen cloak around her and clasped it at her neck.

She paused in the main room, wondering if she should wake Gunther to tell him she was going to search for Dragon, but decided against it. Instead, she found a small piece of cloth and scrawled a quick note on it, telling him she was going to the stables to look for Dragon, and then around the island if she didn't find him there. Placing it on top of the table, she turned and walked outside. Before she even got two feet from the door she noticed a blonde Viking woman walking towards the house.

"Hey, is Gunther here?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Jane glanced over her. She had seen the girl when she first arrived, but she hadn't been among the other Vikings when she found Gunther later that day in the Great Hall. This must be Astrid—the one she had heard so much about…the one who had beaten Gunther yesterday.

"You are Astrid, correct?" Jane asked, and the woman nodded. "Gunther is inside sleeping. He should be out shortly, though."

Astrid walked over to the house and stood beside the door, leaning against the frame. "I can wait."

Jane narrowed her eyes in suspicion, an uneasy feeling creeping up inside her. "You are not going to beat him again, are you? I have no doubt he deserved it, but I would like to bring him back in one piece."

Astrid cracked a smile, letting out a small chuckle. "No, I'm not here to beat him up, I just want to talk."

Jane narrowed her eyes, wondering if she should trust her. When she saw the open expression on her face, she gave a nod. "All right, then. I must be off."

She turned and walked away, hoping Astrid's version of 'talk' didn't involve any weapons. Shaking the thoughts away, Jane turned her attention to where Dragon might be. She figured the dragon stables where all the others were housed was a good place to start. As soon as she opened the large wooden doors, cries rose up. Chirps and trills and all sorts of sounds filled the air, making Jane cringe.

"Jane?" she heard a familiar voice ask. Turning her head towards the sound, she saw Dragon sitting on a wooden beam high up in the rafters.

"Oh, Dragon, good morning. I…um…" Biting down on her lip, Jane turned her gaze to the ground. What should she say? "I came to see how you were doing."

She heard a large flap of wings, and turned her gaze up to see Dragon swoop down to the ground, landing in front of her. "I am fine, thank you." It gave her a little relief to see that he looked just as nervous. "Um, about yesterday, well—" He let out a sigh. "I overreacted. I know you do not need to ask my permission to do things."

Jane felt her shoulders slump. "I overreacted too, and should have been more considerate of your feelings," she said, and quickly added, "But you _must_ know that I could never enjoy riding any other dragon more than I enjoying riding with you. You do not have to worry about that."

"I was not worried," he answered quickly. Jane placed both hands on her hips, giving him a knowing look. At her gaze he lowered his head, bringing a hand up to rub the back of his large green neck. "Okay, well maybe a _little_."

"Come here, you big softie," she said, holding both arms out. Dragon lowered his head and nudged her shoulder with his snout, making her laugh. Wrapping her arms around him, she hugged him as tight as she could—as if trying to reinforce everything she had just said.

"Now, about those sheep games you were talking about…" Dragon said once she had pulled away.

"Oh, I did not think you were listening."

"Jane, when there is a game involving stealing livestock and racing, I am all ears," he said, "So tell me, when is this race?"

"Slow down, Dragon. I think we should practice a little before we enter. We have never done this before, and the others have been competing for a long time."

"I have been playing Swoop-and-Scare with the cows for years now, which does not sound so different from this new game."

"Except that we have to _pick up_ the sheep and drop them into baskets, not just swoop down and scare them," Jane said. "So unless we want to drop flattened sheep into the basket, we had best practice beforehand. We should work on your speed too."

Dragon frowned, raising his head to look down at her. "What is wrong with my speed?"

"Nothing…" _Except that you are not as fast as Toothless,_ Jane thought, but knew that probably wasn't the best thing to say, considering what had happened the previous day. "I just think we could use some practice, that is all."

"Well, prepare to have your socks knocked off, Jane! The speed we go when we fly patrol is nothing compared to how fast I _can_ fly!" Dragon said with a grin, giving his wings a little flap.

"Of course."

"Come on, let's go." He lowered his head for her to climb on, but she shook her head.

"It will have to wait until later. Gunther and I are going to meet with Hiccup and his council this morning to discuss the treaty."

Dragon sighed, lying down and resting his head on the floor. "You short lives and your boring treaty. Fine, go and discuss how you will trade useless items that nobody cares about."

Jane crossed her arms. "This is important, Dragon."

"Well, go on then. I will be here waiting."

She gave him a smile before strolling out of the stables and heading up to Hiccup's house. They had not discussed where they would hold the meeting, so she should find out before heading back to the house. Giving the wooden door three raps, she was greeted a few moments later by a very tired-looking Hiccup. Wayward strands of hair stuck up in odd places and fell into his face, obscuring his eyes.

"Jane?" he asked, giving a yawn.

She smiled a little. "Yes, sorry if I woke you, but we should start discussing the treaty. Did you have a place where we could meet?"

Hiccup ran a hand down his face as he let out a sigh, then brushed the hair away from his eyes, revealing an emerald gaze that made Jane's throat go dry. She was vaguely aware of Hiccup saying something, but she could hardly concentrate on his words at the moment. As his gaze turned questioning at her lack of response, she felt heat creep up her neck and dropped her eyes to the ground. It was hard to meet his gaze at all when the only thing she could think about was the fact that she had seen those bright green eyes in her dreams the night before.

"Jane?" he asked uncertainly, and she made herself shake the unwanted thoughts away.

"Yes?" she responded, lifting her gaze but unable to meet his eyes. Instead, she concentrated on a hole in the wooden wall just behind him inside the house. If he noticed her gaze was off, he didn't say anything.

"I was saying the Great Hall would be fine for the meeting."

"Of course," she said with a nod. "How long do you need to gather your council?"

"Oh, um…" There was a long pause. Jane became concerned and finally overcame her nerves. When their eyes locked, there was a look on his face that she found difficult to read. "Uh…ten minutes."

She quickly glanced away, giving him a curt nod. "Right, then. Gunther and I shall meet you there in ten minutes."

As Jane turned and stroll away, she scolded herself. _Pull yourself together—you are a knight!_ she thought, and then felt her shoulders slump a little. Well, she wasn't a knight _yet_—but she would be soon! This was her first mission, and she was not going to let anything stand in the way of it being a success.

* * *

><p>Gunther woke up to the sunlight shining in his eyes, and promptly rolled over onto his side. He realized too late that this was a mistake. His arm still throbbed, and every inch of his body was sore from the beating he took yesterday. He tried to open his eyes and found they hurt with every blink, while his throat stung when he swallowed. He slowly sat up and looked down at the bandage wrapped around his arm. Blood had soaked through the linen during the night, and would need to be changed. If he could wrap his own arm, he would. But for now he had to rely on Jane to bandage it.<p>

_Crazy woman,_ he thought as he looked at the bruises littering his arm. _Absolutely, certifiably insane. _Not only had his body taken quite a beating, but his pride as well. So why couldn't he get her out of his head? All he could see when he closed his eyes was that fierce, determined look she'd had in her eyes as they fought. He couldn't stop thinking about that lithe body, and how she had been able to not only _lift_ a forty pound battle axe, but wield it with skill; she was forever branded into his mind. He ran a hand down his face and wondered what was wrong with him. He had never been this _affected_ by a woman before.

Standing, he slowly stretched his sore muscles before dressing warmly and walking into the main room. The first thing he noticed was that Jane's bedroom door was open and her room was empty. He then spotted a piece of cloth sitting on the wooden table. Picking it up, he read her brief explanation that she had gone to find Dragon.

Great, _now_ who was going to change the bandage? He supposed he could try doing it on his own; he really hated having to rely on someone else to do things for him. He walked over to the satchel of supplies they had brought with them and pulled out some of the linen bandages. As Gunther sat down at the table, he caught sight of the shadow of a person standing outside the front window. Who was that?

Gunther set the supplies down and walked over to the door, pulling it open. He found Astrid standing outside, leaning against the doorframe with arms crossed, and felt something in his chest constrict. When she turned her clear blue eyes and met his gaze, he quickly reached for his sword, gripping the hilt.

"Come back for a rematch?" Gunther said wearily.

A smile briefly flitted across her face. "Not today. I just want to talk."

Gunther furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. After yesterday why would _she_ want to talk to _him_? But he knew that it would be rude not to let her in, especially since she had come under peaceful terms.

"Come in," he said, moving aside to let her through. She strolled through the door and went straight over to the table, leaning against it. Gunther closed the door and then took a seat at the table, reaching for the bandages.

"Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday. I'm sure you don't actually believe women can't fight as well as men, since your partner _is_ a woman, and I may have…_overreacted_." She spit the word out like she didn't really mean it, and Gunther narrowed his eyes at her. Why was she trying to make amends if she didn't really mean what she was saying? As he gazed at her stone expression it suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks—she had been put up to this. Gunther remembered how apologetic Chief Hiccup had been the other day, and figured he must have told Astrid to come and apologize…or at least, the closest she could come to it. "I think we should just forget about yesterday and start over," she concluded.

When she turned her intense blue-eyed gaze to meet his, he instantly felt his expression soften. It was then that he realized it—no matter how insincere she may be, he would do whatever she asked of him; it wasn't even a choice.

"Okay," he said, remembering what he and Jane had talked about just yesterday.

They were here to find out Hiccup's true character, yes, but they were also here to represent their kingdom and try to forge an alliance. Gunther wanted to be a good representation of his King—which meant he would have to put forth his best face and keep his opinions to himself. Well, his _former_ opinions. After fighting with Astrid he could no longer say women couldn't fight as well as men. He still believed he could have won had she fought _fair_, but she was still a worthy opponent. Her skill in wielding a double-headed battle axe—which most full-grown men still had a hard time doing—was something to be admired. So maybe there was a tiny part of him that wanted _her_ in particular to like him…not that he would admit it.

He glanced away and focused his concentration on peeling away the bandages. The blood-soaked cloth stung a little as it pulled away from his raw wound, and he cringed at the sharp pain. Reaching for the fresh bandages, he had to turn his arm at an uncomfortable angle to get the linen to lay flat so he could wrap it around his arm. As he began to wrap it around his arm, the strip of cloth slipped away. Gunther let out a frustrated huff.

"Need some help with that?" he heard Astrid ask.

He was about to snap that he did _not_ need help when he looked up and saw the sincerity in her eyes. All he could do was nod numbly and hold out the bandages for her to take. She pulled a chair over to his side of the table and sat down in front of him. He turned and held out his arm, trying to calm the racing of his heart when her fingers brushed against his skin. For someone who could swing a battle-axe with ease, her touch was surprisingly soft, but when she glanced up and noticed his captivated gaze she gave a sharp tug of the linen, making him cringe at the sudden pressure on his wound. Quickly wrapping the wound, she tied a knot and stood suddenly, chair scraping loudly against the wooden floorboards. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could the front door swung open. Jane walked in and her eyes landed on Astrid.

"I was just leaving," Astrid said before Jane could speak, walking towards the door.

"Good to see Gunther is still alive and breathing," Jane teased, and he heard Astrid let out a small laugh before closing the door behind her. Once she was gone Jane took a seat in the chair across from Gunther. "I see you were able to bandage your arm."

"Actually Astrid helped me," he admitted, and Jane's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"I thought she was the one who gave you the wound. Why would she help you?"

"She came here to ask if we could start over. I think Hiccup put her up to it."

Jane gave a nod. "Whatever the reason, an offering of peace is good." She placed both hands on her knees and stood again. "Well, we are scheduled to meet Hiccup at the Great Hall in ten minutes. He just needs to gather his council first."

* * *

><p>Hiccup rushed to his mother's room as soon as Jane left, wondering what on earth had possessed him to lie and tell Jane he had a council. Well, now that he thought about it, she hadn't really given him a choice. Instead of asking him if he even <em>had<em> a council, she had asked how long he would need to gather his—giving him the distinct impression that a council was something every leader had.

He wasn't sure what it was that made him lie about such a small thing. After all, he doubted she would see him as any less of a leader if he'd said he didn't have a council. Hiccup paused in the hallway, furrowing his eyebrows. Or perhaps that was _exactly_ his reasoning.

He knew how people from the mainland saw the Vikings—savage, barbaric raiders without an ounce of mercy. And sure, there were a lot of Vikings like that, but his tribe was one of the peaceful ones. He just wanted Jane and Gunther to see that they weren't the ignorant savages they had probably heard tales about. He wanted to show them that Berk wasn't so different from their kingdom, and if that included gathering a council for the first time in Berk's history…well, then he was going to do it. The only problem was that now he had to go about gathering a council—which he didn't have—in a matter of ten minutes. He made it to his mother's room and knocked on her door. After a moment she opened the door and offered him a smile before stifling a yawn.

"Good morning, Hiccup. I didn't know you were up."

"Yeah, I heard someone knocking on the door, so I got up to answer it," he explained. "Jane wants to discuss the treaty in about ten minutes…and I…well, I sort of told her I had a council. Could you be a part of that?"

"Of course."

Hiccup turned to leave, but then paused and turned back to face her. "Jane, she…sort of made it sound like every leader has one," Hiccup stated, and his mother gave a nod.

"Well most kings on the mainland have a council they go to for advice. Your father never needed a council to help him make tough decisions, but I know he sometimes talked things through with Gobber."

That was true—he knew that Stoick had rarely asked for advice, but when he did, he always went to Gobber. The thing was, he had never needed a council. He either called a town meeting where all the villagers talked and discussed problems, or he talked through his problems with Gobber—though he would be the first to remind Hiccup that Stoick never really listened to _anyone _when he had his mind set on something.

Valka gave him a questioning look. "You told her you had a council, though?"

Hiccup rocked back on his good heel, glancing down at the ground. "Well, I didn't want her to think we're just a bunch of uncivilized meatheads running around killing people and stuff."

Valka laughed. "I'm sure she doesn't think that of you."

"But what about the people from _her_ kingdom? You know what our reputation is. We have to make it seem like Berk isn't really all that different."

Valka's grin faded. "Hiccup, different doesn't always mean bad. Right now our reputation can be used to our advantage."

Hiccup furrowed his eyebrows, realizing the point his mother was trying to make. "I still promised her a council."

She gave a nod. "Then a council we shall give her. You will need about five or six people."

Hiccup's eyes widened. There weren't many people he took advice from on Berk—much less five or six of them. "Okay…that's going to be harder than I thought. I'll have you there, and then…can you go and find Astrid? I'll need her too, and I'll go find Gobber. And then I'll…" Hiccup made a dismissive arm gesture. "Just find two people on the way there."

"Good idea," she said, but before he could turn and leave, she grabbed his arm, stopping him. "And Hiccup?" He turned to face her. "I know you want to trust these envoys, but you need to play things close to the chest for now. You can't let them know about the food shortage on Berk, they may very well use it against you. Think of it like a game—you never put your best piece forward first."

He gave a gulp, nodding at the warning. Would they really do that—prey on their weaknesses if they knew what they were? Jane didn't seem like the type of person to take advantage of someone like that…yet he barely knew her. He had always trusted his gut instinct in the past. He had when he set Toothless free and it had been a good decision…but then again, his gut instinct had been wrong about Heather all those years ago, and his gut instinct about Drago had proved wrong as well—it had gotten his father killed. Hiccup gave a thick swallow, feeling his chest tighten at the memory. His mother was right, he had best keep his guard up for now.

He set off for the forge and found Gobber working on his metal arm. "Hey, Gobber, I need you to be part of my council."

"Council?" he asked, pausing between hammer strikes.

"Yeah, it's some sort of advice-giving group of people," Hiccup said, making a dismissive hand gesture. "You just have to sit there and look important."

"All righty. Can do." He put the hammer away and took off his apron before following Hiccup up the worn path to the Great Hall. On the way he passed Snotlout and Fishlegs arguing.

"Hey, Snotlout, Fishlegs!" The two boys paused briefly to look up and meet his gaze. "I need you two to be a part of my council."

"Oh, you mean I get to advise you?" Fishlegs eyes lit up at the prospect, while Snotlout's lit up with something more devious.

"Wait, we get to tell Hiccup what to do?"

"Uh, no. You just need to sit in a seat and look important," Hiccup stated.

He let out a snort and crossed his arms. "Sounds boring. What do I get out of it?"

"Oh come on, when do I _ever_ ask you to do anything?" Hiccup asked.

"All the time!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air, then seemed to rethink his position as a thought occurred to him. "Wait, will Jane be there?"

Hiccup furrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah."

"Okay, I'll come—but I get to sit next to Jane!"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay fine. Just come on."

Snotlout cheered quietly as they walked up the hill, while Fishlegs beamed at the thought of getting to advise Hiccup on what decisions to make. When they reached the Great Hall they met up with Valka and Astrid, then walked inside and waited for Jane and Gunther to show up.

When they finally arrived, Snotlout jumped up and waved to Jane. "Hey, Jane, I saved a seat over here for you!"

Jane gave a half-hearted smile and slowly walked over to him, casting Gunther a look that clearly communicated, 'help me.' Hiccup almost wanted to laugh at the situation, but held back. When she came to his house earlier that morning she had been acting a bit strange. Last night she had been so open, but this morning she'd barely been able to make eye contact. Whenever he tried to catch her gaze she would always glance away. Maybe last night had been out of character for her, but he hoped it hadn't—he enjoyed talking with her. His eyes followed her as she took a seat next to Snotlout, while Gunther took a seat next to her and took out a scroll, along with a bottle of ink and a quill.

Hiccup pulled out the letter that Gobber had handed him from King Caradoc and placed it on the table in front of him. Inside it said that the King was willing to discuss an alliance, but that details would have to be hammered out before he could make his final decision. In other words: the King didn't quite trust them yet.

"All right," Hiccup began, folding his hands in front of him. "So, we're here to discuss the terms of the alliance. I said in my letter that we'll give you protection from any attacking kingdoms, and now that you know about our dragons, you know we can provide it. Most other Viking tribes have an alliance with us, which means they won't attack you either. In return for our protection, we want to establish trade."

"And what items do you intend to trade?" Jane asked, and Hiccup stiffened.

"Well…we, um…" He was at a loss. What _did_ they have that the Bewilderbeast hadn't already destroyed? He'd thought that offering them protection in return for supplies would be enough. "We're offering you protection, isn't that enough?"

Jane raised an eyebrow. "It is a factor, but we cannot give away our resources in return for protection that we may never need. Especially since we already have a dragon of our own to guard our kingdom."

He hadn't thought about that. As if sensing that her son was floundering, Valka spoke up. "We have many goods that we are willing to trade, but perhaps we should show you what they are and let you decide which one's your kingdom would be willing to trade for."

Hiccup threw her a grateful look. She'd bought them time, and maybe the envoys would be able to find tradable goods that the Vikings didn't have much use of. What might be valuable to the two envoys could be something they never saw the use in. It was a long shot, he knew, but it was worth a try.

"All right, then. We would be glad to take a tour, but first a few more questions," Jane said, and Gunther wrote something down on the scroll he'd brought with him.

"What items from our kingdoms are you looking to trade for?" she asked.

Hiccup paused for a moment. He intended to hide the fact that they had a food shortage, but how was he supposed to go about asking for food without arousing their suspicions as to the problem Berk was facing? He was only willing to trade for food since anything else was unnecessary, but saying so would be as good as saying that Berk needed food to survive the winter.

"Well, a number of items, such as food…um, maybe livestock. We don't really need a lot of things. We use most of what we produce," Hiccup said, not particularly liking his answer, but satisfied that it wouldn't cause any suspicion…yet. Gunther leaned forward and wrote some more.

"All right," Jane said. "And what does your island mainly produce?"

"We grow a lot of lumber, and we have tons of steel to make weapons," Hiccup said, remembering all the extra metal they'd gained after removing the battle armor from Drago's dragon army.

"Anything else?"

"We have a salt mine and a lot of it doesn't get used," Fishlegs piped up, and Hiccup was suddenly glad he'd asked him to join his council. Maybe this whole idea of gathering people to give advice wasn't such a bad idea after all. Hiccup was always open to new ideas. "We also have a surplus of paint on the island."

"Great idea, Fishlegs!"

He beamed at the praise, while Snotlout sulked next to him, looking perturbed at not getting any recognition. "Hey, I have great ideas too!"

"Would you like to share them?" Hiccup gestured around the table, and Snotlout paused.

"Um….well…you're always complaining about all the extra dragons we have since the attack, so…we could sell the dragons!" he said, and Hiccup gave him a frown.

"Snotlout, dragons are not _things_ you can just sell to people—" he began, but Gobber held up a hand.

"No, wait, the lad has a point. I'm not saying we should sell the dragons, but we could hire out services. The dragons do a lot of work here on Berk already, we could have them do some heavy lifting work in Kippernium for pay."

"But they already have a dragon to do work for them," Hiccup pointed out.

Jane gave a snort, a flicker of a smile crossing her face. "Yeah, good luck getting Green Lips to do _work_ of any kind. He does what he pleases, and most of the time it involves sleeping."

"So your kingdom would be open to hiring dragon workers?"

"It is a possibility," she replied. "Does your island produce anything else valuable?"

"Let's see what we can find, shall we?" Valka said, standing from her seat.

At this Gunther finished his writing. He blew on the wet ink and flapped the paper around a little before rolling it up. Hiccup's council stood and Jane and Gunther followed as Valka led the way out of the Great Hall.

Hiccup began his tour of Berk at the forge, since it was the place he was most familiar with. "And here is where Gobber and I build saddles for all the dragons." He led them inside and showed them the equipment. "We keep the metal out back until we have use of it. Oh, and Gobber is also the dragon dentist here on Berk. We fix dragon teeth and sometimes remove them if—"

At this Jane's eyes snapped up and widened. "Wait, you have dragon teeth here? You do not get rid of them, do you?"

Hiccup gave a small shake of his head. They had considered that, but where was a good place to dump a large amount of razor sharp teeth that anyone might stumble upon? Stoick had decided years ago that it was best if they kept them stored somewhere safe...or more importantly, away from Snotlout and the twins. "No, we put them in a small storeroom that we keep locked, so nobody accidentally hurts themselves...again." At this Hiccup gave a pointed look at Snotlout, who looked rather bored by the tour and was paying more attention to Jane. His blue eyes snapped up at his words, though, reminding Hiccup that he was, indeed, paying attention.

"What? They make great toothpicks," he said with a shrug.

Jane ignored his remark, and she shared a knowing look with Gunther, a grin spreading across her face. "Hiccup, you are sitting on a gold mine! Dragon teeth are extremely valuable."

Hiccup furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Dragon teeth—valuable? Why? "Uh, and what do you use them for…exactly?"

"Weapons. Swords and lances, in particular. They are known to hold their edge better than any steel—even steel from a dragon blade!" she exclaimed.

Hiccup could feel everything falling into place. They hadn't known dragon teeth could be used to make weapons, and although this new information could be used to make even better weapons than before, the one thing they needed right now more than anything was food. Dragons were forever needing to have teeth removed, and since they were, apparently, extremely valuable, they might not need to find many tradable items to bring the alliance about.

"Well, I think we just found our main export," Valka said, laying a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. They shared a smile before she turned her green eyes back to the envoys. "Shall we continue the tour?"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for such a long wait! I'm surprised it took so long to get it written, since this is one of my favorite stories to work on. This chapter was a bit of a filler, but it was important and a lot more should be happening in the next update, like Dragon and Jane training for the sheep games. Hope you enjoyed! :)<strong>


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